SF State will offer abortion pills beginning Jan. 3, 2023, and receive a one-time $200,000 grant to fund medical equipment, medication and staff training related to the treatment. The funding came from the 2019 senate bill 24, which requires all California public universities to provide abortion pills to students.
According to Health Promotion & Wellness director Karen Boyce, the abortion pill will cost $88 and students can pay out of pocket or use their insurance plan to cover costs.
There is no limit to the number of times a student can be prescribed an abortion pill.
“It is our commitment to not have a cost of any of these [sexual health services] get in the way of students accessing it, accessibility is our number one priority,” Boyce said.
Starting Jan. 3, 2023, SF State students can book an appointment for medicated abortion through the Student Health Services myHealth website or by calling to make an appointment. Then they can choose between in-person or online care.
Students can discuss financial barriers with Student Health Services, who can either cover the cost using funds dedicated to students with financial needs or help them enroll in public insurance.
According to Boyce, Student Health Services follows all privacy laws and requirements to ensure student confidentiality.
Unlike the Health and Promotion & Wellness program, where students fill out a Google document to keep track of inventory, all communication related to medical services is confidential between the provider and student.
To be eligible for the abortion pill, students must take a pregnancy test and discuss alternative options with a provider.
The abortion pill consists of two different medications. Mifepristone first stops the advancement in pregnancy and Misoprostol helps flush out the uterus and must be taken within 24 hours from the first medication.
A week after, the student will follow up with the provider to ultimately ensure the pregnancy is terminated with a second pregnancy test.
After the confirmation, students may be referred to Counseling & Psychological Services on campus.
“Students will be given information on Counseling & Psychological Services if they want any short-term or long-term opportunity to talk with a counselor about their decision or any lingering feelings or concerns,” Boyce said. “We can make referrals and we share that information when they get the medication.”
If a student prefers to talk to someone outside campus, they will be redirected to Exhale, an external nonjudgemental abortion support program.
Women and Gender studies major Adrianna Washington is an event organizer for the Bay Area chapter of RiseUp4AbortionRights. She believes the introduction of an abortion pill on campus is a step forward.
“I think it is fortunate that we live in a city that protects women, especially in this post-war society that we are living in now,” Washington said. “The more resources provided the better and I think regarding the future, we are going the right direction.”
Editor’s Note: This story was corrected to clarify that students eligible for abortion pills are required to take a pregnancy test.
