Statement on the Overturn of Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is deeply distressing, as is the language of Justice Clarence Thomas, which suggests that existing protections for marriage equality, access to contraception, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQ+ rights in general are all under threat of similarly being overturned. The decision represents a dangerous restriction on human rights and patient-provider decision making. This decision will further exacerbate health inequities and reduce educational access by making safe, legal reproductive care unavailable to many Americans. For those in states with trigger laws poised to end or severely restrict abortion access as soon as a decision was released, these concerns are even more immediate.

ACHA firmly believes that all individuals should have the right to make decisions about their bodies and health care. They should have the right to make these decisions in consultation with their health care providers and in a way that supports their needs. There is no place for government intrusion in what is a deeply personal decision between a patient and their health care provider.

Furthermore, college health professionals include clinicians and mental health providers who have licensure and certification obligations and codes of ethics to which they must adhere. They are obligated to follow standards of care and are dedicated to providing the best health care to their campus communities. This ruling, and the restrictive state laws triggered in its wake, will directly endanger college health professionals’ ability to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care, and may place them in legal jeopardy.

ACHA continues to advocate tirelessly for the health and well-being of our nation’s 20 million college students and their campus communities.