Feel Good Friday - Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project

Another Feel Good Friday, another opportunity to talk about reproductive rights and access to abortion. Today we highlight the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, also known as WRRAP. 

Founded in 1991 by Joyce Schorr, WRRAP is the largest independent, nonprofit abortion fund in the United States. Their mission is to ensure that “financially-disadvantaged individuals of all ages, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations can access abortion care and emergency contraception.”

 

According to information on WRRAP’s website, “U.S. abortion patients are disproportionately poor or low-income individuals, and most do not have access to insurance coverage that pays for abortion care. Private health insurance does not always cover abortion, and public health insurance only covers abortions within certain circumstances. As a result, the majority of abortion patients incur high out-of-pocket costs when receiving abortion care.”

 

WRRAP bridges the gap between public and private funding and what low-income women can afford for both abortion care and emergency contraception. They work with a network of more than 700 clinics and provide funding to people in all 50 states. 

 

Women in need of abortion care services start by choosing a provider from one of the pre-screened, pre-qualified health clinics, making an appointment, and discussing their financial need. Next, they use these resources to identify any local funds that can help cover their expenses. Meanwhile, the clinics will contact WRRAP to refer patients for assistance. WRRAP evaluates patients solely on the basis of financial need and, once approved, funds are earmarked for the patient and sent directly to the WRRAP-affiliated health clinic or doctor of the patient’s choice. 

 

Currently much of the available funding is given to “patients who are living in states that are hostile or very hostile to women’s reproductive rights.” In states where abortion is still legal, clinics are seeing a higher demand for their services. To help free up space in those clinics, WRRAP has created an “abortion pills by mail” program to fund telehealth abortion providers in those states. You can read more details in this article from Ms. Magazine.

 

If you want to ensure people get access to the healthcare they need, there are various ways to support WRRAP. Become a volunteer, write a letter of support to a clinic or a woman, shop for merch,  make a donation and spread the word on social media. Like the WRRAP Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @WRRAP and Instagram @wrrapreprojustice.