Planned Parenthood of North Florida welcomed its newest president and CEO Thursday night at at a reception in Gainesville.
Elizabeth Fraley, who hails from California’s Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, is replacing Staci Fox, who moved up to head Planned Parenthood Southeast.
Fraley said she looks forward to tackling issues experienced by women in the South.
“They’re the types of issues that we weren’t dealing with in California because it’s a very different environment,” she said. “I felt that I could be much more effective here than in California.”
Planned Parenthood of North Florida has three centers in North Florida, including the Gainesville Health Center, which has seen about 3,100 patient visits out of a region total of 8,100 visits so far this year.
As the newest leader of the region, Fraley said one of her goals is accepting outside insurance before more women become eligible for and receive health insurance with the implementation of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which takes effect Jan. 1.
Many Planned Parenthood centers across the country already accept outside insurance, she said, and other Florida centers are in contracts with insurance companies to start allowing this. Fraley said she plans to springboard North Florida to this point.
“I’m very glad to be in a position where I can affect change so that women who are newly insured under the Affordable Care Act can continue to come to Planned Parenthood for very much needed reproductive services,” she said, adding that women who are still uninsured can continue coming after 2014 begins.
UF telecommunication and history sophomore Kylie Lacusky, president of UF Voices for Planned Parenthood club, said she agrees with the directives Fraley outlined.
“It would ... be a service to the UF and Gainesville community if the Gainesville clinic accepted outside insurance,” the 19-year-old said. “Ms. Fraley’s goals could have a lot of positive impact on our area, which we’re very grateful for as a club.”
Fraley also plans to bring her region up-to-date with electronic record keeping and education program expansion. And a couple years down the road, she anticipates offering limited primary care so women can be treated for more than reproductive issues.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 9/3/2013 under the headline "Planned Parenthood director recognized in Gainesville"
