Training. Nursing. Rural access. State-level disparities. Emerging issues. AAP releases its 2006-2007 Organizational Report, offering a compelling look at innovative approaches to expanding abortion access.  Hear from the people facing the ongoing challenges and inciting new opportunities around enduring gaps in women's access to abortion.

Primary care clinicians, including nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants (collectively referred to as advanced practice clinicians), are important providers of women's healthcare. Advanced practice clinicians (APCs) can offer a range of care to women, including early abortion services in some states. Recognizing the key role many APCs play in enhancing women's health, AAP, along with colleagues the National Abortion Federation and the USCF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, is rolling out a toolkit for these health care professions in spring 2009.

The goal of the toolkit is to understand abortion as a scope of practice issue. The Toolkit is pro-professional and pro-choice: It acknowledges the political nature of abortion while encouraging a focus on needs of patients and the abilities of professionals to meet those needs rather than the political issues. Written for clinicians, administrators, and advocates, the Toolkit is a professional "how to" manual with background information, resources, and guidelines for present and future APC abortion providers.  It will guide APCs in the development of necessary documentation to support the integration of early abortion care as an essential part of their comprehensive reproductive health care practice. For more information about the Toolkit, please contact Grayson Dempsey, Project Director, Abortion Access Project, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it