National pregnancy help non-profit Save the Storks recently collaborated with a local New Jersey pregnancy help organization to educate state legislators about the work of pregnancy centers, introducing some of those lawmakers to such work for the first time.
Many U.S. states have passed, are passing or trying to pass laws aimed at dismantling, intimidating, or otherwise suppressing pregnancy help organizations (PHOs). This could be by attempting to limit them in providing services, requiring specific messaging or additional training not required of abortion providers, and/or trying to stifle life-affirming speech. New Jersey is one such state that has had a hostile climate for pregnancy help.
Amy Stephens, political and governmental affairs consultant with Save the Storks, traveled to New Jersey and spent time with Deborah Biskey, executive director of Options for Her, a group of New Jersey pregnancy medical clinics. The two of them met with New Jersey lawmakers along with leaders of the New Jersey Family Policy Center.
Educating lawmakers on all that pregnancy centers do, from free pregnancy tests and limited obstetrical ultrasounds to STD testing and connections with community resources, was the primary objective.
“One thing that we've found in a post-Roe environment is that the states are coming hard after pregnancy centers, with the labeling of fake clinics and accusing them of not providing true health care,” said Diane Ferraro, CEO for Save the Storks.
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Stephens works to connect center directors around the United States who are in Save the Storks’ state-national partner program. Biskey and her center have been a partner since 2018. Given the environment in New Jersey, Biskey and Stephens connected to prepare Biskey to meet with state lawmakers and represent pregnancy help.
Planting seeds for pregnancy help
“We went to the state capitol, and we went to a breakfast,” Biskey told Pregnancy Help News. “We were getting the awareness out there of maternal-child health care, what that is like, really encouraging and empowering women, and that’s what we're about.”
Biskey and her staff and volunteers help women who are in domestic violence situations and have endured human trafficking, another fact provided to the assembly men and women, many of whom seemed surprised by the numerous resources Options for Her and other New Jersey PHOs provide.
“I knew they were really drawn in,” Biskey said.
“There are areas [in New Jesey] filled with trafficking,” she said. “Any woman that comes in who’s in a domestic violence situation, an addict, or caught up in trafficking may come to us – we could be the only point from where she gets out of all those dangers.
“We know organizations that can fly them to safety throughout the nation,” said Biskey. “So, for people to say we're not going to help them and we're not healthcare – oh, yes we are, and we do all this.”
Biskey plans to continue the conversation with state lawmakers and others. Offering education on PHOs helps to overcome barriers, she said.
“I definitely think we planted some seeds,” she said, “and my next thing is, I'm going to follow up with New Jersey Family Policy Center and continue with those relationships. You know, it's really like educating and having people take part in conversation, so let's have a conversation.”
Having those conversations with others opened the door for her to take a mobile unit to Princeton University during the past school year to perform outreach and education, and she said she plans to return in the fall for the next school year.
“That was pretty amazing,” Biskey said. “If we can empower the youth to be a part of this, if we get them on board, that's another 20 volunteers so that would be great, that would be just alright.”
In addition to having three physical locations, Options for Her uses two mobile units that travel throughout southern New Jersey. Biskey plans to take a mobile unit into Philadelphia later in the summer, extending the PHO’s outreach to more people and dispelling the myth that pregnancy centers are fake clinics.
“All our staff are licensed nurses or nurse practitioners or OB-GYNs, as is our medical director,” she told Pregnancy Help News.
She also said she would like to add another mobile medical unit to cover other parts of New Jersey.
Tweet This: Pregnancy centers stand beside and behind every woman.
Pro-life partners
Ferraro worked with Biskey previously on providing mobile medical units through a church in New Jersey and praised the executive director’s tenacity and vision.
“Debbie has such an incredible reputation in the life-affirming space,” she said. “She is just fearless. She goes out to really make sure the least of these are served.”
Connecting PHOs with lawmakers, finding hope
Save the Storks and Stephens are available to help PHOs talk and work with state lawmakers, as was the case in New Jersey. Stephens previously served as Colorado Senate Majority Leader in the state’s legislature, Ferraro said, and is very connected with a lot of other state leaders around the country.
“So, she is not afraid to pick up the phone and call and make an appointment,” she said. In addition to accompanying center executive directors to meet with legislators the group offers educational webinars for partners.
Partnering with pregnancy centers to educate lawmakers on pregnancy help provides opportunities for positive conversations, Ferraro said.
“We have seen success in some states that are very anti-life,” she said.
“Pregnancy centers stand beside and behind every woman," she said. “We want to make sure women are treated holistically, and this is what New Jersey has really embraced.”
“I just keep going back to that word hope,” added Ferraro. “We're seeing lots of signs of hope, and it's encouraging us to keep fighting the good fight.”
