24, Unhoused, Mother
Seattle, WA
Kat is a 24-year-old unhoused woman in Seattle struggling with addiction to methamphetamines.
Kat’s had several encounters with the criminal legal system due to incidents related to her addiction. During these encounters, her three children have been in and out of foster care.
Kat’s tried to get into addiction treatment a few times but she has been met with long wait times and complicated barriers, like finding and keeping housing. Most treatment facilities require housemates to be sober and ready to start a job in order to be accepted. But without reliable transportation, Kat finds it difficult to maintain steady employment.
Kat relapses when she learns that she has become pregnant.
She wants to get an abortion so that she can focus on her recovery and caring for the children she has.
She doesn’t know how she will afford the cost of an abortion, or even get to her appointment. She’s worried that if she goes to a healthcare provider, she will be judged for using, or even criminalized.
Kat talks to her caseworker and finds out that she is eligible for Apple Health. Apple Health will cover the cost of her abortion and provide coverage for 12 months after her pregnancy ends. Kat’s caseworker helps get her signed up.
Kat’s caseworker also helps her make an appointment and provides a bus ticket to get to a clinic in Renton.
At the clinic, Kat decides to have a procedural abortion and an IUD inserted. The staff reassures her this is the best option so she won’t have another pregnancy scare anytime soon.
