No Delays, No Barriers: Illinois is Ready for the Abortion Fight Ahead Under the Trump Administration
Media Contact:
Eleanor Grano, Communications Manager, Chicago Abortion Fund
Email: communications@chicagoabortionfund.org
Phone: 312-219-1611
CHICAGO, IL – January 17, 2025 – With federal support for abortion access under threat as Donald J. Trump takes office for the second time, Illinois remains steadfast and is prepared to continue supporting abortion seekers in our state and those traveling from across the South and Midwest.
Since the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision in June of 2022 overturning Roe v Wade, Illinois has served as a lifeline for abortion access across the country, managing a 71.6% increase in abortions from 2020 to 2023. Organizations like the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) and independent clinics like Chicago’s Family Planning Associates and Hope Clinic in downstate Granite City are prepared to meet increasing demands without delays or barriers. This is a direct result of proactive collaboration statewide, including budgetary allocations for abortion access from the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, and Cook County. That also includes a multi-million dollar investment in the Chicago Abortion Fund’s infrastructure and wrap-around support provisions in the most recent Illinois state budget, as well as the launch of the Illinois Abortion Access Collaborative.
Overview of Abortion Access in Illinois:
An estimated 90,600 clinician-provided abortions took place in Illinois in 2023, a 71.6% increase from 2020. (Guttmacher Institute)
In 2023, 37,300 people traveled to Illinois for abortion care. (NY Times)
From July 2022 to March 2024, an increase of 42,080 people received abortion care in Illinois, driven by out-of-state travel from across the South and Midwest. (#WeCount Report April 2022 through June 2024)
Infrastructure and Support Systems:
In 2023, there were 245 abortion-related legislative actions introduced in Illinois to protect and expand reproductive freedom. (Guttmacher Institute)
City of Chicago investment in CAF since 2022 to manage the ongoing abortion access crisis; reproductive health access funding allocated in Cook County’s 2025 budget.
In 2024, the State of Illinois passed a budget that included a broad range of reproductive health initiatives through Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), leading to the largest award of municipal funding for an abortion fund in the nation and comprising multi-million dollar investments for abortion clinics, provider trainings, and community-based birth centers.
Illinois independent clinics are equipped to manage increased patient volume and can triage care for those requiring complex abortion care, to Chicago hospitals via CARLA, a unique partnership with Illinois Department of Public Health, CAF, and four Chicago hospitals.
In 2024, CAF, Family Planning Associates, Hope Clinic, and Personal PAC launched the Illinois Abortion Access Collaborative (IAAC) to facilitate increased cross-landscape coordination and collective advocacy in Illinois.
CAF’s Partnership with Illinois Abortion Clinics:
The CAF Helpline is ready to support people who need help accessing abortion care in Illinois and the greater Midwest. Visit the CAF Helpline to complete an intake and receive support. CAF funds abortion care at independent and Planned Parenthood clinics, Telehealth clinics, and hospitals.
CAF’s unique individualized case management model supports callers via a dedicated staff member or volunteer who provides both funding and patient navigation. This centralized, statewide hub is crucial for removing barriers to abortion care and ensuring timely support by avoiding delays caused by coordinating with multiple agencies.
Since the Dobbs decision, CAF has received support requests from over 33,000 people, a number expected to rise due to the ongoing abortion access crisis. In 2024 alone, CAF fielded over 15,000 support requests and distributed over $5 million in direct assistance.
No Increase in Wait Times for Abortion at Illinois Clinics:
Independent abortion clinics like Hope Clinic and Family Planning Associates (FPA), have not experienced increased wait times since the Dobbs decision and ongoing bans in Florida and Iowa, due to expanding capacity through increased staffing and operational adjustments, unlike East Coast clinics, which are facing over two-week wait times (The Washington Post).
Megan Jeyifo, Executive Director of the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), issued the following statement:
“CAF has been helping people get the abortion care they need for 40 years, and we’re not going anywhere. We’re proud to be based in Illinois, where providers, abortion funds, advocates, and elected officials have been working together for years to make our state a leader in addressing this public health crisis. We will continue to fight for a future where abortion is accessible in every community and are ready to continue the work to get people the care they need, right now.
Sarah Garza-Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC, issued the following statement:
“We are heading into an incredibly hard time for sexual and reproductive health care access. But in times like this, we’ve made great progress by coming together, organizing, and fighting back. Personal PAC’s 35-year record of transforming Illinois from one of the most anti-abortion states in the country into the critical access point that it is today–with support from our state, county, and local pro-choice champions–is a testament to this. Despair is not a strategy.”
Dr. Allison Cowett, Medical Director at Family Planning Associates (FPA), issued the following statement:
“Family Planning Associates has provided abortion care in Chicago for over 35 years. With the support and partnership of Illinois abortion funds, advocates, elected officials and our fellow providers, we are meeting the needs of patients traveling from throughout the South and Midwest for life-changing health care. We will continue to provide abortion services, and we will continue the fight to break down barriers to abortion access today, tomorrow, and always.”
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The Illinois Abortion Access Collaborative is an effort led by Chicago Abortion Fund, Hope Clinic, Family Planning Associates, and Personal PAC, with plans to expand. This collaboration between the Illinois’ statewide abortion fund, the state’s two largest independent clinics, and the only solely abortion-focused PAC in the country is expertly positioned to set an inclusive policy agenda that directly benefits impacted communities, and give stakeholders — the public, funders, and legislators — real-time insights into Illinois’ practical, patient-centered approach. The collaborative’s members are integral, both individually and as a whole, in the fight to ensure that Illinois remains a critical access state for the tens of thousands of people fleeing ban states for essential healthcare.