Miami Herald - July 2, 2008
Robert Samuels, rsamuels@miamiherald.com

Planned Parenthood officially severed its ties Monday with five local clinics -- four in Broward and one in Boca Raton -- whose top administrator has acknowledged a history of "terrible mismanagement and possibly fraud."

The disaffiliation allowed the national organization to wash its hands of the local chapter once known as Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

The chapter is dealing with many problems, including harassment complaints and possible misuse of nearly $450,000 -- slightly less than they received in public funding in 2005.

"All these issues are now issues that they will have to face without us," said Karen Ruffato, vice president of operations for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

The attitude has angered Ruth Lynch, the former Broward chapter's CEO, who said the national organization bailed out before the local chapter could resolve its problems.

Lynch, who replaced former CEO Mary Capobianco in March, said that within two weeks of her arrival she found she could not account for $440,000 of the chapter's $3 million budget.

"We take responsibility that there was horrible management," Lynch said. "But that was then. This is now. We have a new board."

CHAPTER'S PLANS

Lynch said that the chapter's board of trustees plans to eventually open and continue medical services at the five clinics -- in Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton -- but without the trusted name of Planned Parenthood, one of the nation's most recognized clinics in the field of reproductive heathcare.

"We don't feel this was simple disaffiliation, we feel this was a hostile takeover," Lynch said.

"And it was more about the Planned Parenthood trademark than it was about helping the community."

At least 16,000 people used the five clinics for services such as breast exams, testing for HIV and abortions. In 2005, it received $500,000 in taxpayer funding.

HARSH REVIEW

The disbanding of the relationship ended a months-long back and forth between the Broward chapter and the national organization, which temporarily shut down the clinics in March after delivering a harsh review about the chapter's administration.

Popular employees were fired. An employee alleged sexual harassment against a former CEO, Capobianco. The local board was investigating a rumor that its 2006 annual report was plagiarized.

SHUT DOWN

Ruffato said Planned Parenthood wanted to disaffiliate from the Broward chapter as soon as possible.

By March, the clinics were temporarily shut down.

They began the process in April to permanently strip the five clinics of the Planned Parenthood name.

Instead, Ruffato said they entrusted the more-reputable Planned Parenthood of Greater Miami, Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast to open one clinic in Broward and one in Boca Raton.

Ruffato said the Greater Miami chapter is one of the country's best.

'UNFORTUNATE'

"This is a very rare situation and a very unfortunate situation," Ruffato said. "And as sad and as hard as moving through a disaffiliation is, I believe our ultimate responsibility is to the mission. And ultimately we need to make sure that your community clinic has the best healthcare and meets our high standards."

For now, Planned Parenthood is concentrating on replacing the five clinics with at least two, said Judith Selzer, spokeswoman for the Greater Miami chapter. Officers plan to select one site by next month.

Selzer said they will add clinics "as quickly and swiftly as the community needs."

The chapter plans to include Broward residents on the staff and board of trustees.

Said Selzer: "We're poised and we're ready to do this."

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