The county Board of Supervisors has voted 3-2 in favor of setting up a Health and Human Services Agency division that concentrates on reproductive health, including access to services such as family planning.
Supervisors voted Tuesday to create the unit, which according to board Chairwoman Nora Vargas will "serve as a centralized hub to coordinate reproductive health resources, address the needs of marginalized communities, and advocate for policies promoting reproductive justice."
According to a statement from Vargas' office, the unit will "strengthen partnerships with local, state and federal organizations."
Other goals are supporting services for sexual and menstrual health, comprehensive maternal health support, fertility care, gender-affirming care and gynecological services.
Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond voted no on Vargas' proposal.
Vargas said reproductive health "isn't just about pregnancy and maternal care — it's about ensuring that everyone has access to essential services."
Vargas said the new unit "will improve access and address the disparities faced by communities of color, low-income individuals and LGBTQ+ populations. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind in the fight for reproductive justice."
According to Vargas, the HHSA unit will be operational in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
Vargas said increased reproductive health services are needed following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade, which had guaranteed the legal right to abortion for nearly 50 years.
Since then, 14 states have enacted abortion bans and eight others imposed limitations, according to Vargas' office.
Vargas noted that Black women in San Diego County are 2.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.
Further, 20% of low-income women cannot access reproductive health services, and almost 25% of transgender and non-binary people face barriers to gender-affirming care, Vargas' office said.
During the Tuesday meeting, Supervisor Jim Desmond said he didn't think the board should create new units or departments. Desmond said he understood that other contractors provide most of the reproductive services mentioned in Vargas' proposal.
Desmond added that he was unclear if gender-affirming care services would include surgery for minors, which he couldn't support.
Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer didn't agree with Desmond about creating a new county component.
"It's the role of our board to identify where we should be focusing," Lawson-Remer said, adding the county "could really benefit from some coordination and making sure that all out efforts are going in the same direction and we're really being strategic."
Lawson-Remer added that she appreciated the budget-neutral approach.
