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Local reproductive‑justice groups and youth clinic ask county for predictable funding to shore up care and navigation
Summary
Access Reproductive Justice and the Dream Youth Clinic described increased demand for abortion, telehealth and gender‑affirming navigation since Dobbs and requested targeted county support for helpline capacity, outreach and youth‑centered services.
Community providers and youth leaders told Alameda County supervisors they are seeing rising demand for reproductive‑health and gender‑affirming services and urged predictable local funding to bridge federal gaps.
Sonia Goch Avila, program director at Access Reproductive Justice, described a statewide helpline that connects callers to practical supports (rides, lodging, childcare, translation) and said the group saw a jump in Alameda County callers from 36 in fiscal 2023 to 102 in fiscal 2024. AccessRJ asked the county to consider $300,000 a year for five years to expand helpline staffing, outreach and support for gender‑affirming care navigation.
The group stressed that even in California, people face travel, cost and stigma barriers to care, and that telemedicine and medication abortion demand has grown. "Abortion funds are mutual aid organizations that are currently filling a gap where governments have most frequently failed our communities," Avila said.
Dr. Ayesha Mays, CEO of Dream Youth Clinic, and several youth leaders described youth‑led programs that provide no‑cost medical and mental‑health services for people ages 13–25 across four Oakland locations and urged sustained funding for youth‑centered safe spaces, mental‑health providers and prevention programming. Youth called for concrete supports — crisis hotlines, transit options and 'safety kits' — to reduce immediate harms and build long‑term resilience.
Supervisors responded with praise and requested follow‑up information: Avila agreed to provide Alameda‑specific data on out‑of‑state callers and further detail on partnerships and referral pathways; Dream Youth Clinic offered more detail on client pathways and prior county RFPs for youth development.
Next steps: Agencies agreed to follow up with requested data and to work with county staff on potential funding and partnership options to strengthen local helplines, clinic partnerships and youth programming.
Sources: Presentations to the Alameda County Together for All Ad Hoc Committee by Access Reproductive Justice and Dream Youth Clinic.
