For new abortion clinic in McLean, opening location wasn’t easy

MCLEAN, Va. — Abortion providers in Virginia say despite the growing need for services post-Dobbs decision, opening a new establishment presented more hurdles than expected.

Meadow Reproductive Health & Wellness in McLean opened about two months ago, but Dr. Jessica Rubino said it took more than a dozen denials before a building owner allowed her team to start a clinic.

The process to open the new nonprofit practice took about 18 months, which appears to be one of only four in Northern Virginia.

“I’d say most people that we approached looking for even a space to rent to have a clinic straight up denied us when they found out what we would be doing,” Dr. Rubino told WUSA9. “Even people who I’d be willing to bet vote Democratic, but they don’t want to be the one ever harassed for being the landlord of someone who does abortions.”

In a report released by the National Abortion Federation last year, there was a spike in violence and disruption in states that are protective of abortion rights in 2022, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Chief Operations Officer Michael Scheinberg said it took a lot of searching to end up finding a place that would welcome them.

“Even though we're in an area like Northern Virginia which you would think would be easy to open a clinic like this, it wasn't as much,” Scheinberg said.

While they may be used to protests from previous jobs, security on top of sourcing much-needed equipment for services has been a big priority.

Rubino worked in Texas for years, but eventually moved to Virginia because of the state’s abortion ban. Unlike other states in the South, Virginia maintained avoiding restrictions or waiting period after 2022.  

Rubino said although Meadow Reproductive Health is new, they’ve stayed busy with calls predominantly from out of state such as Florida, which implemented a six-week ban with a few exceptions earlier this year.

Aside from providing the medical procedures and abortion pills, the clinic also helps with connecting patients to other grassroots organizations if needed to help come up with funding the travel, lodging and other expenses related to the service.

“Anywhere from 50 to 75% of the calls we do something for the patient,” Rubino added. “We’ve certainly been busy getting phone calls.”

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff recently visited the clinic and held a roundtable with other physicians and Health & Human Services Xavier Becerra.

“This is so important this issue,” Emhoff told Rubino during the discussion. “The fact that you were able to open this clinic in this environment, this horrific post-Dobbs environment, speaks very loudly and very clearly on protecting women.”

Since Roe was overturned, Virginia has become one of the top 10 states across the country to see the greatest increase in out-of-state abortion patients since 2020, per the Guttmacher Institute.

The Abortion Care Network says independent clinics perform more than half of the country's abortions, and 61% of them after the first trimester.