Early Options and carafem design New York state abortion training program
Background
carafem and Early Options are working together to bring affordable, reliable, client-centered abortion care—in-person and via telehealth—into New York. Our partnership is built on a shared legacy of delivering high-quality abortion services that respect the needs, preferences, and values of the people seeking care. Early Options has provided personalized, primary-care-based abortion care in New York City for over 25 years. carafem, founded in 2013, provides affordable, convenient, client-centered abortion care in medical offices across Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Atlanta, and online with telehealth in 17 states, including New York.
carafem and Early Options plan to expand abortion services in New York City, offering Manual Uterine Aspiration (MUA) and abortion pills, alongside a full range of contraceptive options and STI testing and treatment. This collaboration will also serve as the foundation for a training program designed to integrate abortion care into a diverse range of medical practices.
Vision
Our vision is to establish an in-person training program in New York for advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and primary care physicians, equipping them to integrate early pregnancy care, abortion, and miscarriage management into their current practices.
Why Training?
Training is a game changer. Our training program will build a network of providers who can offer abortion care in various practice settings, helping to normalize and expand access to this critical service. A key component of the program is the use of Manual Uterine Aspiration (MUA), a safe and effective tool for miscarriage management, treatment of retained pregnancy tissue, early abortion care, and sampling of endometrial tissue for biopsy. MUA is legal in all 50 states and widely used globally, but is underutilized in the United States.
While specialized clinics have been crucial for providing abortion care, there is an urgent need to decentralize services into diverse settings such as midwifery and primary care practices where many patients go first for care. Advanced practice nurses, who have long provided comprehensive reproductive health services, are now being recognized in progressive states as key providers of abortion care. By training advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and primary care physicians, we can significantly increase access to abortion care at a time when it is needed most.
Why This Partnership?
carafem and Early Options are leaders in patient-centered, de-medicalized abortion care, and both organizations envision advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and primary care physicians playing a central role in decentralizing these services. carafem is affiliated with [DKT International](https://www.dktinternational.org/), one of the world’s largest providers of contraception and abortion medications, and the exclusive global distributor of the IPAS MUA technology in over 100 countries. Early Options has trained physicians in its respected, integrated abortion care model since 1999. Together, we are committed to promoting the use of MUA in diverse healthcare settings and to normalizing and destigmatizing abortion care through empowering marketing efforts.
Why New York?
New York has long been a leader in abortion rights and advocacy. By allocating state funds to ensure continued access to abortion care, New York has set a strong precedent. Establishing this training program in New York will allow us to address the current public health crisis by significantly expanding access to this essential healthcare service. New York can also serve as a model for the future for all states.
Additionally, the State of New York’s FY 2025 budget invests $36 million to strengthen and expand access to abortion care, including $25 million for abortion providers and non-profit organizations to increase access to care and provide support to individuals seeking abortion care in New York. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be available this fall. We have already met with Senator Krueger, Chair of the NY State Finance Committee, and 14 members of the Department of Health to discuss this initiative. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. A second grant proposed by Senator Krueger is in the final stages of approval, aimed at securing state funding for clinician training.
What Do We Need to Make This Happen?
New York State has allocated $25 million to the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Fund, which is now a permanent program in the state budget. These funds will help provide low-cost abortion care. We are raising seed funding to fully develop and design the training program so we’re in the best possible position to apply and compete for the state funds and formally launch the program next year.
The Ask
carafem is seeking $500,000 in seed funding to:
Open an on-site medical office in Manhattan
Hire a project manager and grant writer to fully design the program and apply for New York State funding
Partner with Early Options to establish the training program
Timeline
Phase I (October–December):
carafem prepares to open its NYC office
Office build-out begins
carafem’s grant writing team applies for New York State funding
Early Options networks with other state-funded training programs
Faculty and staff recruitment begins
Phase II (January–June):
carafem launches in-person medical services in NYC
Clinician and staff training
Establish academic affiliation for the training program
Phase III (Post-funding):
Training begins with grant support
Practice becomes financially self-sustaining
Grants cover training center costs
