Abortion clinic plans to open in Allegany County

Mar. 29—RAWLINGS — The Women's Health Center of West Virginia, which will offer abortion care, has purchased property on U.S. Route 220 in Allegany County with plans to open a clinic there by June.

Representatives of the Charleston-based Women's Health Center announced the transaction Monday in a prepared statement. The clinic will be located at the former site of Mountainview Healthcare, 17202 McMullen Highway, Rawlings.

According to Maryland real estate records, the property was purchased by health center representatives Feb. 1 for $699,900.

Katie Quinonez, executive director of the Women's Health Center, said the decision by lawmakers in West Virginia to ban abortion has forced the clinic to relocate.

"West Virginia legislators made it nearly impossible for people in our state to obtain abortion care," Quinonez said in a news release. "Our communities deserve better — people should be able to access abortion care without delay or barriers."

The health center was West Virginia's only abortion clinic. It was forced to stop the procedures in September after the state's Republican-controlled Legislature passed an abortion ban with few exemptions.

The move by Women's Health Center to locate in Allegany County was discussed during last week's regular meeting of the Allegany County Board of Commissioners. Cumberland resident Michael Mudge raised concerns and asked about the process for permitting the clinic.

"It sort of came up out of nowhere," Allegany County Commission President Dave Caporale said Monday. "As far as legally, there is not much we can do. We've never had something like that in our county before. I just don't know if there is anything to do to stop it."

With abortion legal in Maryland, Caporale said the permitting process is likely to follow normal guidelines for a medical establishment.

"Unless there is anything specifically limiting that area to residential, or something along those lines, other than that, you know, I don't think there is anything (that can be done)," he said.

Maryland is a Democrat-controlled state; however, Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1 in Allegany County.

"Regardless that we are in Western Maryland, this is a very blue state," said Caporale, "red county, but blue state. A lot of these things that get passed down, whether it's a curriculum they want to try to put in the schools or electric cars ... unfortunately we are at the mercy of the state.

"I just wish we would have had more heads up on it, we could have been a little bit prepared but I still don't know if that would have gotten us any further ahead because I don't know if there is much we can legally do to prevent it. It is a touchy subject, but it's sort of out of our hands."

The locally-based Mountain Maryland Alliance for Reproductive Freedom said it was looking forward to a "fruitful and successful partnership" with the clinic. "With the summer arrival of Women's Health Center of Maryland, reproductive healthcare including abortion will be accessible for the people of Mountain Maryland," the group said in a statement. "Patients will be able to receive inclusive, personalized care without having to travel far from home."

The Women's Health Center of Maryland will provide abortion services into the second trimester and will accept Maryland Medicaid, which covers abortion. It will also offer annual exams, contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, breast and cervical cancer screenings, as well as gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Quinonez, who will also serve as the Maryland clinic's executive director, said the facility will be a more accessible option for patients in northern West Virginia, Western Maryland, south central Pennsylvania and Ohio, where an abortion ban is under injunction.

Work began last week at the Rawlings-area clinic with crews installing new medical equipment and signage, deep cleaning, replacing floors, patching drywall and applying fresh paint, she said.

The total cost of licensing and renovations for the new clinic, according to Quinonez, is roughly $1.17 million. First-year operating costs — to include payroll and building operations — are estimated to be around $763,000.

Both the West Virginia and Maryland clinics are funded by donations, foundations and organizations in support of expanding abortion access in the U.S.

Greg Larry is a reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. To reach him, call 304-639-4951, email glarry@times-news.com and follow him on Twitter @GregLarryCTN.