More clinicians than ever (nearly 1,400!) are part of the Reproductive Health Access Network, RHAP’s national community of pro-choice providers who work locally and across the country to expand access to reproductive health care in their clinics and teaching practices. Since our last update in February, more than ten of our 17 Clusters have met locally- including the brand-new Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington Clusters. We also hosted Network meetings at both the National Abortion Federation and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine annual conferences, which brought together clinicians from every part of the country- and even Canada.

RHAP has also been working with our Cluster leaders to support the development of clinical advocates within the Network. In New York, trainers from The Moth led a storytelling workshop for a small group of clinicians, teaching them to use their experiences to effectively advocate with legislators, the media, and through other venues for advocacy. In Northern California, Cluster members invited staffers from their local representatives’ offices to come meet with the group and discuss how clinicians can support progressive bills such as the Healthy California Act. Many Clusters have also begun ramping up advocacy efforts within professional organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Finally, Physicians for Reproductive Health has been connecting the RHAP Clusters with local graduates of their Leadership Training Academy in almost every state where we have local networks. LTA alums are physicians who have participated in a rigorous advocacy training program, and these great folks have been lending their time to lead “Advocacy 101” trainings in California, Colorado, Maryland, and Rhode Island (with more to come). We are so grateful to PRH and our other partners for helping us strengthen our communities and fight back together against attacks on health care.

If you are a clinician and would like to join the Network, please sign up here. If you are a provider living in an area where we have a Cluster and would like to be connected, please email Laura Riker, Senior Program Manager, at laura@reproductiveaccess.org.