In a significant move to bolster health care access in Los Angeles, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) has reopened its Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center, situated at 3637 S La Brea Avenue. After extensive renovations, the center welcomed patients once more on May 27, offering a comprehensive array of sexual and reproductive health care services, from birth control to cancer screenings and STD testing and treatment, including abortion services.
This reopening is particularly noteworthy as it marks a further commitment to PPLA’s Black Health Initiative, aimed at alleviating health disparities in Black communities. This initiative is designed to ensure that historically underserved populations receive high-quality, culturally competent care. The strategically located center, in the heart of Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw, and Leimert Park, pays homage to areas rich in history and culture.
Sue Dunlap, president & CEO of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, highlighted the center’s significance: “Planned Parenthood Los Angeles has been offering compassionate, high-quality care to the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw community for 15 years, and this expansion allows us to offer more of the services that our patients ask for. We will provide additional birth control options, syphilis testing and treatment, medication abortion, and behavioral health care to better meet the needs of the community.”
The design of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center is just as impactful as its services. Jamila London, a native of Inglewood and Baldwin Hills, conceptualized the center’s artistic elements, creating a space that embodies the pride and culture of the community. “Designing the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center meant creating a space that reflects the pride, culture, and history of the community that shaped me,” London said. She incorporated inspirations from local drum circles in Leimert Park and African textiles to create an environment that feels welcoming and familiar.
The expansion of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center is expected to enhance PPLA’s capacity to serve patients, many of whom encounter barriers to accessing health care. With PPLA facilitating over 260,000 patient visits annually, it remains one of the largest and most trusted health care providers throughout Los Angeles County.
Margot D. Taylor, the vice president of Strategy and Advocacy at PPLA, expressed enthusiasm about the center’s reopening, stating: “It is very exciting to be back at the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw location. Having presence in the area will be impactful in efforts to reduce health disparities in communities of color.”
In times of changing health care landscapes, the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center stands as a pillar of hope and resilience. This facility is instrumental in addressing critical health needs, providing care in an environment where every patient is acknowledged, heard, and valued. Thus, the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Health Center symbolizes PPLA’s unwavering dedication to community health and its fundamental role in fostering a healthier, more equitable future for Los Angeles.
image source from：lasentinel
