Austin Women's Health Center Struggles to Stay Open Post-Roe

The once bustling Austin Women's Health Center, where patients waited outside on benches and carefully chosen movies played in the waiting room, now faces an uncertain future. Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the nationwide right to abortion, the clinic has seen its finances tank, resulting in reduced services, shortened operating hours, and layoffs. The medical director, Dr. L.L. "Tad" Davis, has not taken a salary in over a year and has waived rent for the clinic, which he owns.

It's been a difficult, difficult time as we try to reinvent ourselves. - Dr. L.L. "Tad" Davis, medical director of Austin Women's Health Center

The staff has been reduced by more than half, and those who remain have taken on multiple responsibilities, including cleaning the office. Under state law, they can no longer perform abortions but continue to provide other forms of reproductive health care to their patients, who are often Black women and minorities struggling financially.

The clinic, known as a "little tree house," is tucked away beneath a canopy of pecan trees. Its independence gives it intimate knowledge of the area, an advantage over larger organizations like Planned Parenthood. Despite the challenges, the small team is committed to serving their community and providing post-abortion care that is nearly impossible to access elsewhere in Texas.

The battle to keep independent abortion clinics open is an uphill one, with dozens closing or relocating due to abortion bans. The financial strain, legal battles, and security upgrades in the face of increasing extremism pose significant challenges. The Abortion Care Network has provided almost $9 million to keep clinics afloat, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming need.

The consequences of the Dobbs decision ripple out across the nation. Clinics like the Choices Center for Reproductive Health in Memphis have expanded to new states while also prioritizing staying put and serving their original communities. With so many closures, each remaining clinic makes a crucial difference.

Many former abortion providers have shifted their focus to care for out-of-state patients who travel for abortions, and to other forms of reproductive health care, often facing financial strain and staff reductions in the process.

Robin Marty, executive director of the West Alabama Women's Center and author of the "Handbook for a Post-Roe America," speaks to the devastating impact of Dobbs:

What people don't understand about Dobbs is that it hasn't just eliminated abortion access; it has eliminated any ability for doctors and patients to be able to trust each other from here on out... It in fact has kind of destroyed the trust in medicine. - Robin Marty, executive director of the West Alabama Women's Center

Marty's clinic, like many others, closed briefly after the Dobbs decision before reopening as a nonprofit reproductive health care center. They now provide prenatal care, contraception, and STI testing and treatment, facing constant financial worry and the challenge of cutting through red tape to serve their primarily Black and uninsured or Medicaid-dependent patients.

The threat of violence and the reality of increased extremism are ever-present for abortion clinics. The National Abortion Federation reports a sharp increase in incidents of arson, burglary, death threats, and invasions in the year since Roe was overturned.

The Austin Women's Health Center still receives hate mail and occasional protests. Staff member Maria Yarborough, overseeing daily operations and assisting patients, worries about her home address being discovered by protesters, and the stigma of her job is so great that she hasn't even told her family what she does.

The future of the Austin Women's Health Center hangs in the balance. They've relied on donations, including from an abortion fund, and are exploring becoming a nonprofit to secure federal funding through Title X. The constant financial struggle has them doing their own cleaning and taking on additional workload.

Yarborough and her team remains dedicated to their patients and hopeful for the future, but the challenges they face are immense.

I really hope we are here a year from now. I really do. - Maria Yarborough, Austin Women's Health Center staff member