Intern with Planned Parenthood this Summer

Planned Parenthood of Illinois has several internship positions open for this summer ranging from Advocacy Coordinator to Latina Outreach.

As a current intern, I can attest to the fact that Planned Parenthood is a great place to work. Located right in the Loop, Planned Parenthood offers a lot of flexibility to its interns to set their own schedules and propose projects that interest them. And unlike some places where students might spend the entire summer answering phones and filing papers, Planned Parenthood interns spend most of their time engaged in substantive projects. Interns might be engaged in organizing volunteers, writing grants, coordinating between staff, or planning events. With the upcoming elections and the beginnings of the campaign for Reproductive Justice, this summer promises to be especially exciting.

Internships include:

-Referral and Information Intern
-Reproductive Justice Outreach Team
-E-Publicist Intern
-Advocacy Coordinator Intern
-Development Initiatives Intern
-Latina Outreach Intern

If you're interested, you can contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 312-592-6800 or send an e-mail to volunteer@ppca.org to receive an application and full descriptions of each position.

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WI court upholds pharmacist reprimand

In one of the first incidents in the country in which a court has ruled on the issue, a Wisconsin panel of judges upheld a reprimand on a pharmacist who refused to fill a birth control prescription and found that he "... abandoned even the steps necessary to perform in a minimally competent manner under any standard of care."

In the summer of 2002, a University of Wisconsin-Stout student, named Amanda, walked into a Kmart pharmacy to fill her prescription for oral contraceptives. The pharmacist on duty, Neil Noeson, not only refused to fill Amanda's prescription, but he also refused to tell Amanda where she could get the prescription filled. When Amanda went to another pharmacy to fill her prescription, Noeson refused to transfer the prescription citing his personal beliefs.

While the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board originally issued a reprimand to Noeson, Noeson appealed on the basis of a "right of conscience" to religiously oppose birth control. The court's decision ensures that Noeson's reprimand is upheld.

Read more: "Druggist sanctioned for refusal to sell "morning after" pill," Associated Press, 3.25.2008.

Technorati tags: pharmacist refusal, birth control, Planned Parenthood of Illinois

Nice to be your neighbor: Iowa rejects abstinence-only

Our neighbor to the west, lovely Iowa, has officially become number 17 in rejecting abstinence-only funding! Governor Chet Culver's decision to reject abstinence-only funds comes a year after the Iowa legislature signed a bill into law that only allows medically and scientifically proven sex education in schools.

Read more: "Just saying no to only saying no," by Janessa Ensinger, The Daily Iowan, 3.5.2008.

Technorati tags: Iowa, Abstinence-only, Chet Culver, sex education,Planned Parenthood of Illinois

Male birth control pill 98% effective

News outlets around the world are starting to pick up the story of a male birth control pill that could be up to 98% effective. This new pill would consist of a chemical compound of a sugar molecule that could be put in a birth control pill or a patch. Dr. Joseph Hall, who has researched the potential for a male birth control pill for the last 18 years, explains that the pill would work by "blinding sperm" making them unable to recognize an egg.

Read more: "Male birth control pill 98% effective," Press TV Iran, 3.27.2008.

The alarming truth: 1 in 4 girls has an STD

Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a an extremely alarming report finding that at least 1 in 4 girls has a sexually transmitted infection. That's more than 3 million American teenagers.

The study focused on girls in the 14 to 19 year old age range. Four common STDs were examined in the CDC study. The report found that human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer, affected 18 percent of girls studied; chlamydia affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and herpes simplex virus, 2 percent.

These are serious numbers with serious health consequences. In addition to the risk of HPV causing cervical cancer, chlamydia can cause painful pelvic inflammatory disease and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy. It can also lead to infertility. Infection with an STD such as trichomoniasis can also increase the likelihood of contracting HIV from an infected partner.

These numbers point to a public health crisis. Teenagers need to know how to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. They need the right information to make responsible decisions. They need real comprehensive sex education.

It's an absolute outrage that our government has wasted more than $1.5 billion on dangerous abstinence-only programs that deny teenagers life-saving information. It’s time to put that money toward real solutions that will help prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among teenagers.

Technorati tags: sexually transmitted disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenage girls, Planned Parenthood of Illinois

One state. One voice. One Planned Parenthood of Illinois!

Planned Parenthood Consolidation to allow Expansion of Quality Health Care Throughout Illinois

CHICAGO, IL – The five individual Planned Parenthood affiliates throughout this state officially opened their doors today as Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL).

“We decided together that by joining forces we would be able to broaden our services, and deepen our commitment to health care throughout the state of Illinois most effectively,” said Steve Trombley, who will become the President & CEO of PPIL.

“What this will allow us to do is take a broad look at the entire state, and identify underserved communities where health care is lacking. We all know that access to high quality health care is becoming scarcer. One of our motivating goals is to turn that around. We want everyone to have access to the same quality health care that is currently offered in the communities where a Planned Parenthood health center is located,” Trombley continued.

“For us, it’s all about helping women stay healthy. By providing access to affordable services like yearly pap tests to check for cervical cancer or breast exams to screen for breast cancer, Planned Parenthood assists women in achieving that goal,” said Trombley.

The five Illinois Planned Parenthood affiliates that are part of this consolidation are: Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area; Planned Parenthood of Decatur; Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois; Planned Parenthood Heart of Illinois and Planned Parenthood Springfield Area.

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Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) provides affordable high-quality reproductive health care services to women and families throughout Illinois. Through health care services, educational programs, and advocacy efforts, PPIL ensures and protects the reproductive rights of each individual.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area, Planned Parenthood of Decatur, Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois, Planned Parenthood Heart of Illinois, Planned Parenthood Springfield Area