BY: Dana Chisholm
Pennsylvania has been in the news for the grisly practices of abortionist Kermit Gosnell. But, Pennsylvania is not the only state with a House of Horrors. Mississippi has one, too. It functions in the name of Jackson Women’s Health Organization on North State Street Jackson. Mississippi has its own Kermit Gosnell’s in Diane Derzis, owner of the clinic, and Bruce E.Norman, who flies in from out of state to perform abortions on Mississippi’s most vulnerable women.
There is a clear pattern. These are the same providers at “New Woman all Woman”, an Alabama clinic which was closed by the Alabama Department of Health following an incident where two women were overmedicated and taken to the hospital. These same providers have chosen to operate as an unlicensed abortion facility in Alabama and are being sued by the state.
We commend the Mississippi Department of Health for inspecting and finding the violations they have found at the Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The clinic touts “new ownership” since some of these violations occurred. However, the same people are managing the clinic. Nothing has changed, and women are still in danger.
Among some of the Health Department findings:
- 2009 found medical waste including the remains of the dismembered babies (fetuses) in cardboard boxes located in a room next to the recovery rooms for two weeks at room temperature.
- Bloodstained furnishings.
- Facility had a leaking roof and inadequate staffing.
These types of conditions for a medical facility cannot be allowed to stand. Women’s lives are at risk.
Gov. Phil Bryant and our Legislators have championed women’s health care in Mississippi with the passage of House Bill 1390 last year. This law raises the benchmark of women’s health care to a higher level. All women should receive the best health protection possible. HB 1390 would protect women from the House of Horrors here in Jackson, like those we have seen in Pennsylvania, Texas, and around the country.
We want to stop the war on women that occurs through poor health regulations and lack of enforcement of existing ones. U. S. District Court Judge Daniel Jordan has allowed JWHO to continue to operate despite the legislature’s attempt to protect the women of Mississippi.
Judge Jordan has allowed this senseless destruction of women’s health to continue by issuing two temporary restraining orders after the State Department of Health revoked JWHO’s license for failure to comply with the law.
All free-standing medical clinics must adhere to similar stringent guidelines to protect their patients. We are asking for nothing less than the best possible health care for the female citizens in the state of Mississippi.
We plead with Judge Jordan to allow the enforcement of the law enacted by HB1390 effective July, 2012. This law does not stop abortions; it simply protects the women who choose abortion.
Every day this continues, women remain at risk.
About Dana: Dana Chisholm is President of Pro-Life Mississippi. Contact her at plm@prolifemississipp.org
Related articles
- Kermit Gosnell and his House of Horrors: The Verdict (tattooedliberty.wordpress.com)
- Wife says shes sorry for trusting Philly abortion doctor (pottsmerc.com)
- Another abortion ‘house of horrors’ in TX… (dailymail.co.uk)
- Woman gets probation in Philly abortion clinic case (pottsmerc.com)
- Is Gosnell’s ‘House of Horrors’ a Glimpse into the Future? (blackamericaweb.com)
Mississippi PEP 
dishonest column, filled with anti-choice falsehoods and garbage. you will lose in the federal court, guaranteed. it is sad and sick that i, a republican male, would care more about living BORN womens’ rights that this chisholm liar.
Here’s what I don’t understand, 1. How does this Derzis lady remain in business with a track record like this https://mississippipep.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/jackson-abortion-clinic-owner-under-fire-in-alabama-for-performing-abortions-without-a-license/
AND, 2. What the hell is so wrong with having the same standards for abortion clinics as any doctors office would be expected to have?
Seems like common sense to me. What am I missing here?
a brain? i have total contempt for anti-choice trash. those in alabama are the same as those elsewhere.
The insults really don’t help me understand. If simply asking a qualifying question gets that kind of result then it becomes apparent you’re not trying to convince others of your point of view, but just trying to shout them down. I want to know the answer to the questions so I can be better informed.
i don’t want to shout you down, keep commenting please. i do think people who want to control others’ medical decisions, like chisholm does and you seem to, deserve insults and to have someone do that to you and her as well. please provide a non-biased link to the info about baby parts in boxes. thanks.
The same standards??? Is that a joke?
No. Are you suggesting they have the same standards now? I thought that’s what the law was supposed to address. I don’t see blood stained furniture in my doctors office, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t get away with boxes of body parts in a closet somewhere. What are the current standards at JWHO?
THIS CLINIC WILL REMAIN OPEN.
Stop asking about your stupid trap laws.
@nancycolburn: I don’t make laws. Not a lawmaker. But, I do decide what I think about them based on conversation and dialogue. Your insulting attitude tells me you don’t want to have a serious conversation. I interpret that to be for a reason. You’re not doing your side of this argument any favors with those like me who are unsure about our opinion.
She wants the clinic closed, and will say or do anything to achieve that. The standards are all but impossible to meet, and she knows that. If she succeeds, desperate women will die at clinic’s like Gosnells–that’s what abortion was like before it was legalized. Dana Chisholm is a humorless liar.
Lies lies lies are us should be the title!! Pro-birthers are getting kinda desperate huh??
Has Dana ever been in the clinic no? She just stands outside the clinic using an illegal microphone singing and yelling at patients. Harassing women who don’t want to be bothered by her and her band of sidewalk harassers who also routinely break federal and local laws. I guess she doesn’t want to discuss that. In fact Ms. Chisholm recently stated she didn’t understand why all of sudden the police were enforce laws they were allowing her group to break in the past. Which let’s me know she has always known the law and thinks she’s above it as does her husband.
Since I volunteer at the clinic and am routinely inside the clinic I can say with certainty that the Jackson clinic is NOTHING like Gosnell’s clinic and the comparison based on TWO violations is a stretch to say the least and really a flat out lie. Gosnell was performing late term abortions and then killing full term fetuses. JWHO doesn’t perform procedures after 16 weeks EVER! Gosnell had disgusting dirty condition JWHO does not. He had medical waste from months and months in his clinic. Dana herself knows Stericycle comes to the clinic every week.
So Dana do your Christian duty and STOP LYING. If you can’t win your cause without lying to bad but don’t draw false comparisons. K bye thanks.
So, is the finding of fetuses sitting in cardboard boxes for two weeks in 2009 by the Health Dept. untrue? What of the other things? It’s easy to say, “stop lying”. But, that doesn’t do much to inform those of us who want to make an informed decision on this issue. Mrs. Chisholm has specifics in this article. My question is, what “specifically” is false here? Arguing about it without offering counterpoints that are reality doesn’t accomplish anything for the discussion. Help us understand your point of view.
If we gave y specifics, you would not care! Please!
I believe SPECIFIC counterpoints were given. You choose to believe filth and lies. She is an evil witch who screams at women and attacks not only the workers, but their children. What a disgusting woman.
I haven’t seen any counterpoints to the specifics in the article re: the Health Dept. findings, and your assumptions that it wouldn’t change my mind are a self fulfilling prophecy due to the venom with which your respond. Why do you assume I wouldn’t care?
What year is this? This is 2013 right? The clinic has been inspected multiple times since then-so where are the “horrific findings”. I personally can not speak to conditions in 2009 I wasn’t there then but I am now and I can speak to conditions NOW. I know for a FACT that isn’t the case currently. If Dana has evidence to the contrary so should show it or shut up!
So, they why are they on the list to be shut down? Specifically for lack of admitting privileges only?
Admitting privileges have nothing to do with the conditions of the facility-pay attention! It was a law designed to close the clinic that’s why it’s going to be struck down. That’s your come back that clinic is “unsafe” due to lack of admitting privileges. You better stop midwives then they can’t practice in hospitals either when they transfer patients in fact they can’t even have transfer agreements which the clinic indeed has (by the way I support midwifery in this state). BTW the doctors who are still allowed to perform abortions under the admitting privileges law I guess it doesn’t matter if they have privileges right?
conwatch – are you seriously claiming to be ‘on the fence’ about whether women should be able to terminate early term non-viable pregnancies because they don’t want to give birth (for whatever reason)? color me skeptical.
It’s a complicated issue. Do your own research (keep the right wing sites fo a minimum, please, they lie like dogs). Abortion protesters are terrorists and should be treated as such. They’ve been known to go after the children of clinics’ landlords. Believe me, they don’t care about women OR babies–they’re just scared they won’t get to Heaven. And, if I were in charge, they wouldn’t!
@Carole Miles: I’m attempting to do my own research by asking questions. But, it is extremely difficult on this stream of commenters here. Any suggestions where I could find more information? Where specifically is the “lie”?
Oh I will believe you are concerned with women’s health when you scrutinized the providers delivering babies as closely as you are those providing abortions. The c-section rate in Mississippi is one of the highest in the nation (one hospitals rate is over 70%) meaning women are having unneeded surgery every day in this state and suffering very serious complications-ending up in the ICU-because of it. When you show concern for those women and their children too I might start believing you about your concern for “life” and babies.
yo, basil, what’s you opinion on USPS stopping saturday delivery?
*crickets*. or maybe just a lizard…..
The only reason JWHO is a “House of Horrors” is because of the “sidewalk counselors” who feel their sole mission in life is to bully their beliefs on others. The terribly sad part is that these “Christians” do absolutely nothing but drive women further from the church, and just when a woman would need her community and church to stand behind her, these overzealous leaders of “Pro Life” chase her further and further away all the while scratching their heads and wondering why women can’t understand they know better. What a joke this is. A sick joke.
to me, its damned if you do, damned if you don’t. not a single one of us knows why any woman chooses this. its a personal and private issue. I do agree that the clinic should be held to the same standard as any other type of Dr office, but I don’t think that the laws should be used to force out something you just don’t agree with. that’s not what the laws are for. the woman who wrote this inflammatory piece of fluff doesn’t speak for me, or most people I know. Its the squeaky wheel syndrome. as long as a business its following the laws as same as an equal business, its lawful even if you don’t like it.
But, therein lies the question no one has answered on this stream of comments so far. Is this clinic following the law? Is it endangering women? Is it run by people who are accused of the same endangerment in Alabama? These are the claims in this article. Are they true or not?
“Stop asking about your stupid trap laws.
ConWatch
May 31, 2013 at 11:39 am
@nancycolburn: I don’t make laws. Not a lawmaker. But, I do decide what I think about them based on conversation and dialogue. Your insulting attitude tells me you don’t want to have a serious conversation. I interpret that to be for a reason. You’re not doing your side of this argument any favors with those like me who are unsure about our opinion.” I can smell your BS a mike away.
Interesting that you won’t answer questions, but only accuse those who ask them. Congratulations, you have helped me arrive at the current position that it is probably because you have something to hide. Or worse, you are commenting without actually knowing what the hell you are talking about at all. I will attempt to find the answer from someone willing to actually participate in educated dialogue.
THIS CLINIC STAYS OPEN
Even though abortions can be performed by private physicians all across the state, the admitting privileges law was specifically worded to only apply to one facility in the state: the JWHO. So the statement that the clinic should have to comply with the same laws as everyone else really doesn’t make any sense. Why aren’t other physicians who perform abortions expected to conform to the same regulation? The (mostly) rich white republicans who are in control wanted to make sure they had access to abortions if they ever really needed one.
Ah. Thank you. A point that begins to explain the reality of the situation, although a bit presumptuous as it comes to the last statement. At any rate, thanks. Can you provide a reference to where the law is for this one facility only? And, I thought this was the only abortion facility left here?
A lot of comments on this story. Thanks. We notice a great number of those in disagreement and welcome a counterpoint article if any are willing to contribute one. Thanks……