1 year after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Southern Colorado groups continue to feel impact

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Saturday marked one year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, ending federal abortion rights in the country.

While some states have outlawed or restricted abortion access, Colorado has decided to protect abortion access for woman. Governor Jared Polis has signed multiple bills ensuring the right to an abortion is protected.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) said since the decision, Colorado has become a safe haven for other neighboring states that outlawed abortion.

The President and CEO of PPRM, Adrienne Mansanares, said they have been seeing an influx of people from out of state come to Colorado seeking an abortion, with a 33% increase in abortion care in Colorado health centers and a 41% increase across the region (CO, NV, NM).

PPRM said 37% of their abortion care patients are from out of state, and before Roe V. Wade was overturned only 12% were coming from out of state to receive abortion services. The current wait time for an abortion care appointment is 10 days, according to PPRM. In the immediate aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned, the organization said their peak appointment wait time was 28 days.

The average straight-line distance traveled by out-of-state patients to access abortion care from PPRM post-Roe is 648 miles, according to PPRM.

Mansanares said some people she has spoken with since this decision are incredibly angry.

"They're upset at their government. They feel like their government does not represent them at their own state level," said Mansanares.

However, while some are upset, pro-life organizations like Save the Storks are celebrating the decision and believe it's step forward for the country.

"Now we can really start to give women true choice, and again, the choice to be a parent is a beautiful choice and the choice for adoption when that mom isn't ready to parent, that's another wonderful option that now we can open up people's eyes to," said Diane Ferraro, CEO of Save the Storks.

Ferraro said they're planning on opening another mobile clinic due to the influx of abortions in Colorado. She said the clinic is going to give women a set of options other than abortion.

Mansanares said they're going to continue to provide abortion to care to any woman who needs it.