The Planned Parenthood clinic in Durango that closed last year is set to reopen on Monday, operating on Mondays and Tuesdays. The organization said the efforts of the local community were vital in getting the clinic back up and operating.
“Our supporters in Durango are outstanding,” Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains CEO Adrienne Mansanares said. “We’ve had donors that have jumped in to make sure that we were able to continue paying for the various expenses that are associated with the health center when it’s closed. Things like utilities, making sure that we can be ready to reopen with a fully staffed and equipped health center.”
The clinic was forced to close in September 2024 due to a provider shortage.
PPRM blamed the closure on “a direct consequence of the escalating national health care crisis, driven by severe provider shortages and relentless political attacks on reproductive rights.” The clinic still offered virtual services during the closure.
“Reproductive health services in Southwest Colorado can be hard to come by at times,” said Rep. Katie Stewart to CPR, whose constituency covers La Plata County. “So when Planned Parenthood closed a bulk of its clinics, it had a pretty big impact on folks accessing services locally.”
In a statement, PPRM said the clinic has plans “to expand hours as recruitment continues for an additional nurse practitioner.” Mansanares said that they’re not currently looking for a full-time provider.
“It'll be interesting to see how much patient demand we have on those Mondays and Tuesdays,” she said. “If we’re able to effectively meet the needs of the community, then we’ll stay open on those days. If there is more demand, then we could look to hire more staff or open on more days.”
As of now, Mansanares said a provider who works at the Cortez clinic will commute to Durango to see patients. All essential services will be available at the clinic, including abortions.
Officials said the clinic’s reopening is a relief to other clinics in the area and local community members.
“I don’t think that there will ever be enough providers to meet the needs of folks in the communities. I think there is plenty of room for whoever is willing to step up and provide these services,” said Theresa Anselmo, La Plata County’s Director of Public Health. “We’re grateful that Planned Parenthood has been able to make the accommodations, and the two days a week are great.”
Anselmo said that as soon as it was announced that the clinic was closing, the La Plata County Public Health Clinic started getting phone calls. However, while that clinic offers many reproductive and sexual health services, it does not offer things like abortions or cancer treatments.
“It’s just an awesome opportunity to have the availability for those things that you might not be able to get somewhere else,” said Aly Seibel, a resident of nearby town Ignacio. She’s been going to the Durango clinic since she was in high school. “For example, the OB/GYN, they’re always booked up, or at least for me, every time I’ve called. And then my primary family provider is always booked up. So, it’s nice to be able to go to Planned Parenthood for those things.”
According to Mansanares, the future of the clinic is not guaranteed.
“I do think that we're always risking some kind of closure because of this shortage of providers,” she said, referring to the nationwide physician and OB/GYN shortage that is especially severe in rural communities.
“We don’t have folks that are ready to step into these roles,” she said.
Rep. Stewart also emphasized that the impacts of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” have been “devastating, especially for Planned Parenthood.” The law blocks patients from using Medicaid at Planned Parenthood, effectively defunding the clinics. But, in Colorado, lawmakers passed a measure in August that ensures Medicaid coverage for patients at Planned Parenthood. Abortions are also covered by Medicaid in the state.
“I don’t think it can be overstated how much harm is being done by HR-1, not only for reproductive health care and Planned Parenthood, but health care in Colorado,” Stewart said.
“Especially rural Colorado.”
To read more stories from Colorado Public Radio, visit www.cpr.org.
