Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky (PPINK)

Merger

In April 2021, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands (PPGNHI), which consisted of the states of Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii, merged with Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, creating Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, and Kentucky (PPGNHAIK), after creating an alliance two years earlier. ¹ After the merger, the new organization operates 40 health centers across the six states ² and is now a $77 million dollar operation. ³

The merger enables the organization to advocate for un-restricted women’s health services and brings greater access to legal and advocacy teams, strengthening PPINK’s ability to bring about pro-abortion legislative action. ⁴

Services

Like other Planned Parenthood affiliates, PPINK provides women’s healthcare, abortions, and other services. Planned Parenthood clinics across Indiana and Kentucky began offering services specifically for transgender and nonbinary patients in September 2021, including hormone therapy for those transitioning from one sex to another. ⁵

In March 2020, PPINK expanded its abortion services to include its Louisville, KY, health center location. PPGNHAIK’s CEO, Christine Charbonneau, said that “abortion is healthcare” and that all people deserve to “have access to safe and legal abortion.” ⁶

Court Filings and Lawsuits

Senate Enrolled Act 340

In April 2018, PPINK, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Indiana, filed a law suit challenging Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 340. The law required abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, to report “all abortion complications” and required additional inspection requirements for abortion clinics. PPINK claimed SEA 340 violated the 14^th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause. ⁷ In July 2020, the proposal was struck down by Judge Richard Young of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. ⁸ In August 2021, the 7^th Circuit Court reversed the previous ruling and overturned the injunction. ⁹

Senate Enrolled Act 404

In May 2017, PPINK, which was represented by the ACLU and the ACLU of Indiana, filed a lawsuit against the Commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health siting that the Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 404, signed by Governor Eric Holcomb (R), ¹⁰ created unnecessary obstacles to abortion for women under the age of 18. The U.S. Supreme Court previously ruled that if a minor does not or cannot obtain parental consent for an abortion the minor can obtain authorization from a judge. Law SEA 404 would reverse this ruling by requiring that a minor’s parents be informed of the pregnancy and desire to obtain an abortion. In 2017, a federal district court blocked the law, and in August 2019 the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling. Indiana has appealed the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court has not yet addressed the appeal. As of October 2021, the law is not in effect. ¹¹

House Enrolled Act 1337

House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1337 required that women receive an ultrasound 18 hours prior to receiving an abortion. PPINK claimed this was unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit in 2016, represented by the ACLU and the ACLU of Indiana, claiming the ultrasound requirement was unconstitutional. In July 2018, the 7^th Circuit Court upheld the preliminary injunction that the bill placed an “undue burden on a woman’s right to choose.” ¹²

People

Christine Charbonneau took over for Christie Gillespie as president and CEO of PPGNHAIK after the merger of the two Planned Parenthood organizations in 2019. ⁴ Charbonneau is a career-long professional with Planned Parenthood, where she has worked in many capacities for 39 years, many of those in leadership roles. She helped to create an online platform, Planned Parenthood Online, and in 1988 initiated a plan to manufacture affordable contraceptive supplies for public health providers working with low-income women. ³ Charbonneau serves on several boards, including Voxent, an electronic medical records IT company; Afaxys, a public health business; and Washington Women’s Foundation, a group that invests donor dollars into Washington communities. She is a graduate of the University of Washington. ¹³

On July 1, 2017, Gillespie became the president and CEO of PPINK, replacing Betty Cockrum, who retired after 15 years with the organization. Gillespie stepped down from her position with PPINK in February 2019. ¹⁴ In 2019, PPINK paid the former president $253,489, ¹⁵ which included a severance of $190,000. ¹⁶ Gillespie is experienced in public policy, community development, and human services, with a long history of supporting Planned Parenthood as a funder, donor, and advocate. Previously, she was the vice president for community impact with the United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) and was with the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development and Community Alliance of the Far Eastside. Gillespie is a graduate of Purdue University and Indiana University-Purdue University. ¹⁷

Financials

PPINK received $1,238,763 in 2018 and $293,229 in 2019 from U.S. government grants to help fund the organization and its work. ^{18 19}

In 2019, PPINK spent $67,553 in lobbying efforts. ²⁰

According to tax documents for 2019, PPINK has four affiliate organizations, including Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky Political Action Committee, Planned Parenthood Action Kentucky, and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands. ²¹