Planned Parenthood in Rolla has closed its brick-and-mortar location and will no longer serve patients in person.
The health care organization shut its Rolla offices at the start of 2026, citing attacks on health care access and funding, including Missouri lawmakers blocking Medicaid patients from accessing care from Planned Parenthood. It will now only serve patients online.
"Shifting Rolla fully to telehealth enables patients to continue receiving the sexual and reproductive health care they trust while ensuring our long-term sustainability," President Margot Riphagen said in a statement.
Planned Parenthood took over operations of what had been the Tri-Rivers Family Planning center in Rolla in 2022. At the time, the organization said it was "eager to show that we are here to stay."
All services that can be provided via telehealth will be offered by the same Rolla-area staff, who are now working remotely. Planned Parenthood will refer patients to other in-person providers in Phelps County for services including pregnancy and STI tests, or patients will have to travel two hours to Springfield or St. Louis.
Planned Parenthood said it remains committed to rural areas.
"We are going to continue to engage with those communities, make sure that they know what resources are available to them and provide additional resources as needed," said spokesperson Nick Dunne.
Planned Parenthood did not provide abortion services at the Rolla office, but the location was still subject to protests and demonstrations.
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