Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) is a statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to preserve and broaden access to reproductive health care through legislation, public education, electoral activity and litigation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. PPAV works to ensure that individuals and families have the freedom, information, and ability to make their own informed reproductive choices. We do this through:
Legislative activity: PPAV's legislative team works with members of the Virginia General Assembly to introduce legislation to protect and expand reproductive health care services and reproductive rights, and to defeat legislation that will restrict access to health care. We lobby elected officials on legislation relating to reproductive health and rights.
Public education: We build grassroots strength by organizing people, communities, and groups to become informed, educate elected officials, and take action. We mobilize a strong statewide network of grassroots supporters and build leadership to sustain the work for access to reproductive health care, especially the life saving cancer screening, sexually transmitted infections diagnosis and treatment, breast health, pap tests, birth control ,and health counseling provided by Planned Parenthood health centers throughout Virginia. We work to ensure that abortion remain a safe and legal medical procedure for a woman to consider if and when she needs it. Ultimately, decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child must be left to a woman, her family and her faith, with the counsel of her doctor or health care provider.
Electoral activity: PPAV works to elect lawmakers who will support reproductive health and rights.
Litigation: PPAV engages in strategic litigation to defend access to reproductive health care.
PPAV represents four affiliates in Virginia: the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood Health Systems, Inc., Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia, and Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC. Together, these non-profit organizations serve more than 30,000 Virginians at seven health centers throughout the state.
