Baltimore CPCs Must Disclose Provided Services

This week in Baltimore Maryland, the City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake introduced a bill called the Limited Service Pregnancy Centers Disclaimers Bill. This bill would require Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) to be upfront and provide information about the types of services they do or do not provide as discussed in a recent blog post by RH Reality Check. In Baltimore and all around the county, many CPCs appear neutral and as places women can go to discuss pregnancy concerns. However, these facilities often do not disclose information regarding their limitations of services. They also provide falsified information regarding birth control methods and abortions in attempts to sway women away from them. Rather than helping them, the false information makes it much more difficult for women to get the help they need in tough times.

This measure does not force CPCs to prove any services they do not wish too, it only forces them to be upfront and straightforward about the type of services they will and will not provide, allowing women to make a more informed decision on where to go. This is a step in the right and protective direction, now if only all cities in the US mandated this…

Fortunately there are other groups calling CPCs out. The Feminist Majority Foundation and its Campus Team is working to encourage people to expose such clinics for what they really are in an effort to stop deception. Check out their website at feminist.org for more information.

Photo Credit: Becca's Photostream on Flickr.com