Planned Parenthood of Alabama in Birmingham is on probation after the Alabama Department of Public Health discovered nine regulatory violations at the clinic.
The investigation began after UCLA student Lila Rose revealed her undercover tape. In 2008 she posed as a pregnant fourteen year old seeking an abortion and captured some questionable practices of the clinic.
Here's what the state found. Since September of 2008, nine girls between the ages of thirteen and fifteen had abortions without full legal parental consent.
In its 36 page statement of deficiencies, the state says Planned Parenthood even allowed the consent of a woman posing as a fifteen year old's mother who had an expired driver's license, different last name, and different address as the girl. Even birth records show she's not the mother.
Rick Harris of the Department of Public Health says these practices are a clear violation of state law.
"And it's even more unacceptable that they did a procedure on a girl and allowed someone who was not her mother and was obviously not her mother to sign a permission slip for her to get an abortion."
Rose's tape raised also questions about Planned Parenthood's obedience to laws of mandatory reporting of rape or even suspicion of rape.
The state found evidence with a real thirteen year old who went to the Birmingham clinic.
"(She) reported she had been having sexual relations since she was twelve. She was pregnant. She needed an abortion. They gave her an abortion. Same girl comes in four months later and gets another abortion...A reasonable person faced with that situation would have to suspect abuse...If it was abuse we've the lost the opportunity to help that child," says Harris.
The state also uncovered sanitation issues including improper disposal of a needle attached to a syringe, expired medicine and out of date equipment.
In response to the investigation, Felicia Brown-Williams, Vice President of Public Affairs of Planned Parenthood of Alabama, Inc. issued the following statement:
"Planned Parenthood of Alabama is proud to have met the reproductive healthcare needs of the women, men and teens in Birmingham for over 80 years. Planned Parenthood insists on the highest standards of patient care. A recent state audit asserted that some of our internal systems did not meet these standards. We take concerns about the quality of our services seriously, and we have entered into an agreement with the state outlining steps we will take to assure that all of the state's concerns are addressed. We will continue to take every necessary step to ensure that every aspect of our services meets legal and professional standards and is consistent with Planned Parenthood's high standards of patient care.
Early in 2009 Planned Parenthood of Alabama decided to merge operations with Planned Parenthood of Georgia so that we could have the resources needed to continue improving the health and lives of teens and families in our state. In a city with the second highest rate of syphilis and one of the highest teen birthrates in the nation, we must keep our energy focused on expanding high quality reproductive health care to all. With the completion of this state audit our merger will now move forward, and our operations will grow and strengthen in 2010."
Planned Parenthood of Alabama is on probation for a year and must report to the state by next February 16 on how it plans to correct the violations.
