By Guy Page
As the number of pro-life pregnancy resource clinics grows in Vermont, the pro-abortion Planned Parenthood announced it will close another office.
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) announced Tuesday that it will permanently close its St. Johnsbury health center on June 3, citing ongoing financial challenges and low patient demand, the Caledonian-Record reported today.
The center, located at 501 Portland Street, opened in December 2012. With the site closure, Planned Parenthood now has five Vermont clinics, compared to 10 pregnancy resource clinics statewide.
Nicole Clegg, President and CEO of PPNNE, described the decision as “very difficult,” noting that the organization had made repeated efforts over the past five years to keep in-person care available in St. Johnsbury.
“We attempted many different investments and organizational changes to tackle the complexities of delivering care in St. Johnsbury, but the challenges persisted,” Clegg said, as quoted by the Caledonian-Record.
Those challenges, according to PPNNE Vice President of Public Affairs Jessica Barquist, included staffing shortages, high operational costs, low insurance reimbursement rates, and persistently low patient volume.
“In 2024, the St. Johnsbury center saw just 688 patients — only 4% of the total 15,960 patients served in Vermont,” Barquist said. “This low patient demand has been a trend for many years, and unfortunately, the location has operated with the greatest financial loss among all our 14 health centers in the region.”
PPNNE is currently operating under a significant deficit budget. While health care costs have increased dramatically, reimbursement rates from insurance providers have not kept pace, further straining the nonprofit’s financial stability.
Despite the closure, the two employees at the St. Johnsbury location will remain employed within the PPNNE network.
Barquist emphasized that PPNNE remains committed to ensuring continuity of care for patients. Those who have relied on the St. Johnsbury center will have access to services via PPNNE’s Telehealth platform or at other physical locations, including Barre and White River Junction — now the closest health centers for residents of the Northeast Kingdom.
PPNNE is also offering referrals to other local providers and working closely with patients to ensure a smooth transition.
The closure follows the 2022 shutdown of PPNNE’s Newport office, which had made the St. Johnsbury center the sole Planned Parenthood site in the region. At that time, resources were reallocated to expand services in St. Johnsbury, including plans to launch a medication abortion program.
Planned Parenthood owns the Portland Street building, which it purchased in 2015 for $290,000. The future of the property remains unclear.
“This is not a decision that was made lightly,” said Barquist. “It comes with emotions of sadness for our staff, our patients, and our community. But it’s one we believe is necessary for our organization’s future and our ability to serve patients across the region.”