Planned Parenthood opens new facility in Central El Paso

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas has now opened it's doors to a new facility located in Central El Paso.

The 4800 square-foot health center is the only Planned Parenthood clinic in West Texas, and will replace the existing health center on Missouri Avenue. It is now located at 1061 Chelsea St.

Some features include expanded patient services spaces, an on-site laboratory and pharmacy, community outreach, advocacy, and education offices and a community meeting room.

The Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas’ El Paso Health Center offers a range of services including contraception, STI testing and treatment, breast and cervical cancer screenings, vaccines and gender-affirming care.

"We're so pleased, to know that the bigger facility isn't just about, like, increased patient numbers, and those things matter to us. I would say we didn't need the bigger facility to see that happen," said Xochitl Rodriguez, Philanthropy and Community Affairs Officer of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. "I think the real robust piece of growth that we're going to see now is, is folks knowing that we're not only a space for health services, we're a space to gather and to build community."

Planned Parenthood said it's headed towards surpassing 20,000 appointments since 2018, but with the Trump administration, it is a time of uncertainty. 

"People have reached out with a loss of hope and a lot of fear," said Rodriguez.

Still, she wants community members to know the center is here to stay.

"While some may have expected maybe or expect our doors to close, we just want to be clear. We just built a new health center, and our doors are open," added Rodriguez.