Abortion doulas in high demand in Colorado
Volunteers help women and others get housing and transportation
As women have traveled to other states for abortions, volunteers with various organizations there have arranged travel, lodging and psychological support. Among them are doulas, which is a term that has been coined for someone who provides non-medical help to people seeking reproductive care.
Abortion doulas are in unprecedented demand in Colorado as women from all over the country have poured into the state for abortion care following the Dobbs decision. The Colorado Doula Project went from spending $300 total in August 2021 to spending nearly $30,000 to help women that same month of this year.
“It’s a kind of mind-boggling difference,” said Gina Martinez, director of the organization.
They had a massive number of volunteers and have paused accepting any new ones so they can improve training. Those who seek the service can go to its site and fill out an online form requesting different types of assistance. Afterward, someone with the network contacts that person before reaching out to the abortion clinic. The doula finds out the things the individual needs from them. They do a lot of airport rides.
“It's so many people and their needs will vary really widely,” Martinez said. “Some people really only need one thing. Some people only need a ride from their appointment, especially if they're local. They might just need a ride home. Some people will need everything.”
Most of those they help are people of color. And they come from states nearby and from the South.
The organization gets money from donations, from small contributors online to wealthier philanthropists. Because they don’t have consistent funding, they don’t have paid staff or an office.
One of the bigger challenges is making people aware of abortion options that are not affiliated with Planned Parenthood. Because of its name recognition, it’s usually what people google first to make an appointment. But since there is such a backlog of appointments, it might be easier to go to one of the other places instead. Not all Planned Parenthood affiliates provide abortions, Martinez said. And some of the ones that do in the state are far to the west in the mountains.
People can drive 1,000 miles to get to a place. Mountain driving can be perilous during the winter. Some towns can be relatively inaccessible. It’s also harder to find accommodations in less populated places.
“When we see someone who's driving over four states away or something,” Martinez said. “I will contact them and ask them if they want me to find a different local clinic who might be able to see them sooner.”