PA Lawmaker Thanks Gov. Shapiro For Supporting Abortion Resources

PAOLI, PA — Pennsylvania Rep. Melissa L. Shusterman Friday praised Gov. Shapiro’s decision to end the practice of funding organizations that do not provide information to women about abortions.

Shapiro said his administration will ensure women in Pennsylvania receive the reproductive health care they deserve.

"Pennsylvanians made clear by electing me as governor that they support a woman’s freedom to choose, and I will be steadfast in defending that right,” Shapiro said.

Dr. Val Arkoosh, secretary of Human Services, said the state’s 30-year contract with Real Alternatives, a crisis pregnancy center organization, will expire by the end of 2023 and it is not being renewed.

Real Alternatives is an agency that empowers women to choose childbirth rather than abortion.

The state’s Department of Human is accepting applications from women’s healthcare providers to provide all options for pregnant women.

Shusterman, a Chester County Democrat, said in May of 2022 that she was working to end the practice of funding organizations that do not provide information to women about abortion.

“I am grateful to Governor Shapiro and Secretary Arkoosh for working to ensure taxpayer funds are used for women’s health care in the commonwealth,” Shusterman said. “I have been concerned for some time about the deceptive practices of these crisis pregnancy centers and alarmed even more so that taxpayer dollars were being utilized to mislead women.

"When 1 out of 6 babies in Pennsylvania are born to a parent who has not received adequate prenatal care, knowing that none of these state-funded Real Alternative centers were providing prenatal care, was deeply troubling. Soon, the tax dollars of Pennsylvania’s hardworking citizens are going to be used for appropriate women’s health care.”

Arkoosh said every woman seeking reproductive health care has the right to unbiased, medically accurate care and counsel.

“The Department of Human Services has an obligation to ensure our contractors and partners are acting in line with these values and being good stewards of taxpayer resources, and we will not relent on this commitment,” Arkoosh said.