Planned Parenthood expansion bid draws opposition

VIRGINIA BEACH

Most of the people who spoke at a public hearing Monday opposed Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia's proposal to add two operating rooms to its Newtown Road clinic.

The nonprofit's Virginia Beach Health Center is seeking permission from the state health commissioner for the operating rooms, a project that would cost the Planned Parenthood affiliate about $225,000. About 30 people spoke at the emotional, nearly three-hour hearing held by the Virginia Department of Health on the application.

The staff recommendation is scheduled to be released May 19 and a final decision will come later.

Dr. Robert Rashti, the affiliate's CEO, told the crowd of about 80 people that the additional capability would allow the center to surgically treat conditions such as incontinence, suspicious breast lumps and chronic pelvic pain. Patients benefiting most would be low-income women without insurance, he said.

"The project will expand the scope of services we are able to offer and improve access to gynecologic surgical services for all low-income and uninsured women in our community, women with the greatest need but the fewest resources," he said.

However, several speakers worried that the operating rooms would equip the clinic to perform second-trimester abortions.

"Abortions are what they do," said Louantha Kerr, who is with 40 Days for Life Virginia Beach.

Noting that thousands signed a petition against the clinic before it opened last year, she added, "Those same 10,615 citizens are saying again today that they don't want Planned Parenthood to be granted two operating rooms to do more abortions - later-term abortions."

According to Virginia law, second-trimester abortions must be performed by a physician licensed by the state Board of Medicine in a hospital licensed by the Virginia Department of Health. A new state law classifies clinics that perform at least five first-trimester abortions a month as hospitals that must meet certain standards. The state Board of Health has been tasked with developing the regulations this year.

Rashti didn't mention second-trimester abortions during his public presentation. Asked after the hearing whether the clinic would perform such procedures if the operating rooms were approved, he said, "As long as I'm CEO, certainly not."

During the public comment, Lew Cabral, who identified himself as a pharmacist, took issue with the application. He said hospital charity programs and government insurance, such as Medicaid, provide for the gynecological surgical health care of low-income women in Hampton Roads.

"Planned Parenthood's request does not address a need in the marketplace," he said.

Many of the speakers voiced opposition to abortion and to Planned Parenthood as a national organization that performs the procedures. Several announced their affiliations with churches or anti-abortion groups.

"Hampton Roads is a Christian, family-based community where people care about each other and the sanctity of human life, which begins at conception," said Cheri Britt, who is with Life Ministries.

A handful of speakers expressed their support for the application.

Margie Rashti, who is married to Dr. Rashti and volunteers for Planned Parenthood, addressed the abortion question head-on.

"We absolutely do early, safe abortion procedures that women themselves choose and ask us to do," she said. "That's not why we're here."

Janine Latus said Planned Parenthood has helped her charity find health care for domestic violence victims with conditions such as breast lumps and sexually transmitted diseases. Local physicians struggle to treat poor, uninsured patients, she said.

"I am 100 percent for their request to expand," she said. "We need Planned Parenthood to take care of the people we're not taking care of."

Amy Jeter, (757) 446-2730, amy.jeter@pilotonline.com