Planned Parenthood Forced To Close These 4 Minnesota Locations

ST. PAUL, MN — Planned Parenthood will close four Minnesota clinics and cut dozens of staff in a major restructuring, the organization announced.

The Minnesota closures, in Apple Valley, Richfield, Alexandria, and Bemidji, are part of a broader consolidation effort that will shutter eight health centers across Minnesota and Iowa. In total, 66 staff members will be laid off and 37 others offered reassignment.

Another 35 jobs were cut earlier through attrition, according to Planned Parenthood.

The organization said it’s responding to a mix of rising costs, shifting patient preferences, and what it calls "dangerous attacks" on reproductive care.

In April, the Trump administration froze $2.8 million in Title X funding allocated to Planned Parenthood in Minnesota.

At the same time, Planned Parenthood criticized Congressional Republicans for pushing a plan to defund the organization and slash Medicaid, which covers about 30 percent of its patients.

“My heart hurts as we announce the closure of health centers and the departure of trusted and talented colleagues,” said Ruth Richardson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. “But our patients come first—always.”

Planned Parenthood said 15 clinics will remain open in its five-state region, along with virtual care services that see about 20,000 patients annually.

Planned Parenthood said the closures are aimed at creating regional care hubs while investing in virtual services. According to internal data, 82 percent of its patients are already seen through its existing network of clinics and online care.

While Minnesota clinics are being cut, demand is growing in the state due to neighboring bans, according to the organization.

Iowa’s near-total abortion ban caused the number of Iowans traveling to Minnesota or Nebraska for abortion care to spike by 239 percent, Planned Parenthood said. The number of abortions performed in Iowa dropped 60 percent in the six months following the ban.

The organization warned that political pressure at the state level remains high in Minnesota, and rising costs, stagnant reimbursements, and staff shortages are putting further stress on services.

Despite the closures, Richardson said the organization is committed to staying: "Make no mistake: care may look different, but Planned Parenthood North Central States is here to stay."