My main project for the summer is scoping out what services Hey Jane could provide to better serve patients who want emotional and social support throughout the abortion process. Abortion can come with a range of emotions for different people – from relief to guilt to sadness – and sometimes many emotions at once. Having an abortion can also be an isolating experience, despite that fact that 1 in 4 American women (and others who don’t identify as women) will have an abortion in their lifetime. Hey Jane wants to be there for its patients, no matter what, and provide them the information, accompaniment, reassurance, and community they need to feel safe and supported throughout the process.
In order to figure out how Hey Jane can more holistically serve its patients, I’ll be:
Looking at the models of emotional support for abortion patients that already exist, as well as support models in adjacent sectors, and what we can learn from them
Interviewing experts including abortion providers, doulas, reproductive justice organizations, and emotional support service providers
Interviewing patients to understand their experiences and support needs
Developing, evaluating, and recommending options for different models Hey Jane could adopt for social and emotional support
Developing a budget and implementation plan for selected models