By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the City is releasing the Sexual and Reproductive Bill of Rights.
The document defines health as inclusive of access to sexual health care, birth control, gender-affirming health care, and abortion services, and will help ensure that all patients in New York City are protected from discrimination and harassment related to their sexual and reproductive health care decisions.
The Sexual and Reproductive Bill of Rights will be distributed to the City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s network of health care providers, advocacy groups, and partner organizations across the city to share with patients.
In 2022, in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to access safe, legal abortion care nationwide. Since that decision, NYC has introduced a range of services to protect and fulfill the local right to access abortion care. Since launching the New York City Abortion Access Hub in November 2022, more than 3,500 callers and over 790 chatters have been directed to reproductive health services and resources through NYC Health + Hospitals and providers throughout New York City:
- More than a third of all callers request a Spanish-speaking navigator and a majority of callers identify as Hispanic or Latino.
- A majority of callers shared that they make less than $25,000 a year.
- Most callers live in New York City.
- Over 600 callers reported living outside the state and more than a third of those callers were from Texas.
Anyone in need of abortion services or support in accessing care can receive referrals by calling 877-NYC-AHUB (877-692-2482). For those who might prefer to start the conversation over text, there is now a chat feature to connect them to a phone operator.
The City — alongside health care providers, patients, and dedicated supporters of reproductive care — has weathered ongoing attempts to restrict access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used for the past 23 years in medication abortion and has continued to support unfettered access to this safe and effective medication. In August 2022, Mayor Adams signed legislation enabling access to no cost medication abortion at DOHMH sexual health clinics. The service has expanded to the Jamaica and Central Harlem Sexual Health clinics after launching in Morrisania in January 2023. As a result, in 2023:
- 627 medication abortion services were provided at the city’s sexual health clinics,
- Most patients were New York City residents, with residents of the Bronx and Queens representing half of all medication abortion visits, and
- More than 60 percent of medication abortion patients were uninsured.
In October 2023, NYC Health + Hospitals launched telehealth abortion access through Virtual ExpressCare — becoming the first public health system in the nation to do so. Patients in New York City seeking abortion care can schedule a Virtual ExpressCare appointment to speak with a New York state-licensed health care professional by video or phone, on-demand, for an assessment and counseling. If clinically appropriate and prescribed, patients will be able to receive a medication abortion kit at their New York City address within a few days. This service is available seven days a week, between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM, and will provide patients with access to safe, legal abortion care. Patients can access telehealth abortion care online at https://expresscare.nyc/abortion-care/?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utmsource=govdelivery or by calling (718) 360-8981.
