In Conversation: Kersha Deibel of Planned Parenthood on Community Health and Bridging Gaps

*Photo provided by Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio*

Interview and written by Michael Cotrell.

Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio is no stranger when it comes to fighting for vital community healthcare. Armed with a passion for helping Ohioans retain freedom over their bodies, they show up to court again, and again.

A temporary restraining order was granted on March 2 by an Ohio judge granting to block the premature enforcement of a law that would allow the Department of Health to revoke ambulatory surgical licenses and threaten to shut down procedural abortion services in Southwest Ohio.

The decision stems from a request by Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio and Women’s Med Dayton, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the ACLU of Ohio.

A statement to the press from Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio, ACLU, ACLU of Ohio, and Women’s Med Dayton said.

“The courts have confirmed again and again that these unnecessary restrictions pushed by Ohio politicians impose severe burdens on patients and providers. Today’s decision is just one in this series of rulings that sees these technical licensing requirements for what they are — dangerous laws with no other intention than to eliminate access to abortion in Southwest Ohio. Temporarily blocking this law is a win for providers and patients, but our fight to protect abortion access in Ohio is far from over. We are as dedicated as ever to protecting Ohioans’ freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies, their families, and their futures.”

Preventive care and education are vital for healthy outcomes. Yet, Ohio ranks 48 in the country for publicly funded women’s health services – including access to publicly funded contraception, cancer screenings, S.T.I. screenings, and pregnancy tests.

At the center of Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio (P.P.S.W.O.) is President and C.E.O., Kersha Diebel.

In an interview with the Enquirer last November, when asked about the numerous restrictions placed on reproductive health throughout the year, Kersha said, “We’re not going anywhere.”

*Photos provided by Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio*

Recently, I sat down and talked with Kersha at P.P.S.W.O. to get a glimpse into life at the clinic.

Kersha has been invested in Planned Parenthood in a variety of roles for 16 years. She was a patient, then volunteer, intern, and became an employee of Planned Parenthood’s national office. She led the political and advocacy teams and eventually became the president and C.E.O at P.P.S.W.O. Her motivation comes from ensuring access to quality healthcare for all, allowing our community to reach its full potential.

I asked Kersha what she wants people to know about Planned Parenthood.

The work they do is more than simply meeting a patient’s needs. Planned Parenthood is a community presence that can positively impact those they care for in ways that often bring them back to volunteer, donate, or return to work here.
They provide relationship and sexuality education to thousands of people in the city through schools, churches, and community groups. This opportunity helps provide young people with the tools they need to take control of their lives and future.
P.P.S.W.O. is more than a clinic – they are a social safety net provider caring for nearly 18,000 patients. This includes life-saving care such as cancer screenings, gender-affirming hormone therapy, breast exams, birth control, S.T.I./H.I.V. testing and treatment, and many other programs.

Kersha’s goals for P.P.S.W.O. are to strengthen the people, culture, operations, and infrastructure to ensure Planned Parenthood is equitable and maximize systematic and local impact. Kersha says health care access in this country and Ohio is a constant challenge for folks in the community. This is magnified for those with low incomes, Black people, people of color, and folks in the L.G.B.T.Q. community. Kersha intends to bridge gaps for patients and clients and to do so in a way that is safe, affirming, equitable and nonjudgmental.

We talked about her heroes and inspirations. Folks like her mother are her biggest heroes – a woman who raised a bi-racial child in a small Ohio town at 16 years of age. Her enthusiasm for life, her drive and work ethic, and her compassion for all people are the qualities she says she admires most. Her mother gave Kersha the ability to advocate for herself and those around her.

Kersha also talked about Black, queer, ‘fat’ women doing bold visionary work and taking up space to change systems and reimagine the world in which all voices are centered. These ordinary yet extraordinary people who go above and beyond are the inspirations and motivators.

Outside of the office, one of her favorite activities is ordering from her favorite Northside restaurant, Bridges, cranking up Lizzo, and locking herself in a room with a whiteboard and a pack of Mr. Sketch scented markers to imagine, dream and vision. It’s those moments that big mission bets are created, and some of her best (and worst) ideas come to fruition.

Kersha is confident that Planned Parenthood has been a vital part of this community’s healthcare and education landscape for the past 90 years, and they have no intention of giving up now.

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