Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, representatives from The University of New Mexico Health System, and the Reproductive Health Care Success Project broke ground on a clinic that will expand reproductive health care and improve maternal health outcomes for women in Southern New Mexico.
Access to reproductive health care should be a fundamental human right. Once completed, this clinic will stand as a testament to our state’s commitment to reproductive freedom for residents of New Mexico, and also those who travel here from out-of-state in need of this care.
In partnership with the Reproductive Health Care Success Project (RHSP) which includes Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Strong Families NM, and Bold Futures, UNM Health broke ground on an estimated 8,000 square foot clinic. The RHSP is a community advised collaboration with a goal to serve the needs of thousands of individuals living in southern New Mexico who have lacked access to basic reproductive health care for decades.
With an expected completion of 12-18 months, the clinic will provide the following services:
- Medication and procedural abortion
- Miscarriage management
- Range of contraception options including IUD implants, emergency contraception, and hormonal and barrier contraception options
- Pregnancy loss support and management
- Lactation support
- Women’s Preventative care, sexually transmitted infection and cancer screenings
- Adoption education and resources
- Limited Primary Care including: STI screenings, cervical cancer screenings, checkups for sexual health care
- Doula Support
We thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for her vision on this project. The governor has championed the idea of making reproductive health care more accessible, not only for New Mexicans, but for those in our region who need the option of safe, quality, trusted care. We’re proud to stand alongside the governor and our partners as we help grow our state’s health care delivery system in Southern New Mexico.
Gov. Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature appropriated $10 million to UNM to acquire the land and build the clinic. The UNM Board of Regents voted in May 2024 to approve the acquisition of land in Doña Ana County to house the clinic.
Southern New Mexicans have identified barriers preventing them from accessing reproductive health care including high costs, long distances to providers, lack of public transportation, insufficient or complete lack of insurance coverage, few trusted specialists the area, limited knowledge about where to access care, and shame and stigma surrounding reproductive health care.
I see women in my practice in Albuquerque often who made significant sacrifices to make their appointments. That should not be the case. Reproductive health care should be accessible and I’m proud that our work to open the Las Cruces Center makes this type of care much more accessible to thousands of women in Southern New Mexico.
When opened, the UNM School of Medicine will create new opportunities for students and resident physicians to train and learn in Las Cruces. The new opportunities for the School’s future students and learners expands learning opportunities, exposes them to diverse populations, and encourages them to continue practicing in rural settings upon completion of their training.
“Today’s momentous groundbreaking is the next step in a year’s long process that has truly captured the needs of our community, providers, and the experts who have been doing this work for years. Community advised, full-spectrum reproductive healthcare is a necessity in southern New Mexico and today we are one step closer to that care,” said Charlene Bencomo, Executive Director, Bold Futures NM.
From an economic development standpoint, contractors to build the clinic are expected to come from New Mexico, spurring dozens of new jobs. Once open, it is the hope of RHSP that the health care providers working inside the clinic are from the Southern New Mexico area. That allows for a stronger ability for providers to connect with patients through language access, cultural competency, and shared values.
“Through this process local community leaders and health care providers have created a health care center they need. Thanks to this partnership, people from all over rural southern New Mexico will have increased access to care, closer to home,” said Adriann Barboa, Director, Strong Families New Mexico.
Groundbreaking in Las Cruces
