New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday the launch of the Abortion Access Hub to refer callers to abortion care confidentially and rolled out no-cost medication abortion at the city's sexual health clinics.
The program starts this week and provides New Yorkers with access to licensed healthcare professionals by video or phone to prescribe abortion medication that would be delivered "within days."
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"Here in New York City, we will not allow the far Right to continue its crusade to strip women of their reproductive rights. Last year, an activist Supreme Court undermined almost 50 years of settled law by overturning Roe v. Wade, but New Yorkers know that access to safe, legal abortion care is the cornerstone of public health, and we will not stand idly by as these attacks on women continue," Adams said at a press conference.
He added, "Today, I am proud to announce another first for any city government: Access to abortion care will now be available through telehealth visits at NYC Health + Hospitals sites from the comfort of one's home."
The mayor said telehealth abortion care "allows the people in our lives to make the choices they need privately and safely so that they can decide what is best for them and their futures. This is about protecting the ability for women to control their own bodies, their choices, and their freedoms."
The telehealth abortion access program will operate seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and can be accessed online or by telephone. It operates through the NYC Health + Hospitals Virtual ExpressCare program.
Adams said they were not going to "sit on our hands" after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
"Access to safe, legal abortion care is the cornerstone of public health," the mayor said at a press conference. "The far Right seeks to strip our citizens of their basic rights."
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"We know that restricting access to abortion is about controlling women's bodies, their choices, and their freedoms. We are going to stand up and push back, having a united front on that," he continued.
"Today marks a historic win for abortion access in New York City," Wendy Stark, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, said at the press conference. "I applaud NYC Health + Hospitals for taking this important stride with telehealth abortion services that allow New Yorkers to access critical abortion care from the comfort of their own homes without worrying about barriers to care like transportation and significant time off from work. When we make abortion care more accessible, we empower individuals to make the best decisions for themselves, their families, and their futures."