Offering inexpensive sexually transmitted disease testing and a pro-life stance, a new Tempe pregnancy clinic is attracting some ASU students away from other sexual health alternatives.
Risha Brown, outreach coordinator for Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix, Inc., said since the clinic opened at Broadway Road and McClintock Drive in August, about a third of its patients have been ASU students.
"We're a place where people can share feelings and talk about what their options are -- what are the pros and cons of abortion, adoption and parenting in your life?" Brown said.
The Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix is a Christian-run medical organization that operates four clinics around the Valley.
One reason the clinic attracts students is its inexpensive STD testing, Brown added.
For $20, a patient can get tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Those same tests cost more than $100 at Planned Parenthood and the ASU Health and Wellness Center.
"We wanted to make [STD testing] as low cost as possible so students could afford it and so we would have an opportunity to talk with them about sexual health and sexual abstinence," Brown said.
The clinic doesn't require that patients walk out agreeing with its pro-life viewpoint or sexual abstinence.
"We don't make it a mission to prophetize to people," Brown said.
In addition to STD testing, the clinic also offers adoption services, pregnancy counseling and abortion information, which is free-of-charge and given openly despite the organization's Christian, pro-life roots, Brown said.
Unlike other pregnancy clinics, however, the organization does not offer contraception or abortions.
That, Brown said, would run contrary to their goal of discouraging premarital sex and reducing unwanted pregnancies.
The contraception philosophy is not shared by Planned Parenthood or the ASU Health and Wellness Center.
"We are very free at providing contraception because we feel that it is the best way for students to pursue their academic goals," said Dr. Stefanie Schroeder, chief of staff of the ASU Health and Wellness Center.
Brown said a benefit of not offering contraception or abortions is that clients can be assured the Crisis Pregnancy Clinic is not out to make a profit.
"With us, it isn't just about 'here's a condom' or 'here's a pill,'" Brown said. "It's about the whole person."
Both ASU Health Services and Planned Parenthood offer contraception at prices lower than typical pharmacies or other health services. While a small profit is made, that money usually subsidizes other low-cost services, their representatives said.
The Crisis Pregnancy Center tries to "nurture the whole person" by offering religious counselors and discussion groups with post-abortive women.
It's that holistic approach that makes the clinic a good choice for many students' sexual health concerns, regardless of whether they're Christian or not, said Christopher White, a justice studies senior and director of public relations for ASU Students for Life.
"I think this is a great organization for ASU students, especially now that it's so close," he said. "They offer the best choices for both the woman and her child."
Political science freshman Lianne Russo said she feels the clinic is ignoring a major part of sexual health issues by refusing to endorse contraception or abortion.
"Personally, I don't think that pregnancy centers should offer abstinence-only programs or programs that don't promote contraception," she said. "People should have all options available."
Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Melissa Shiffman said that while she promotes Planned Parenthood as a safe and non-opinionated sexual health service, students should research and compare pregnancy clinics to make the choice best suited for them.
"Patients need to be aware of where they're walking into," she said. "They just need to be careful and go to a reputable place."
Reach the reporter at ann.censky@asu.edu.
