With the signing of a bill by Governor Janet Mills this week, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse-midwives gained the ability to provide abortion medication and perform in-clinic abortions in the state of Maine. The bill, which was introduced into legislation by the Governor herself, aims to expand access to reproductive health care for women across Maine, particularly for those located in rural areas.

“Allowing qualified and licensed medical professionals to perform abortions will ensure that Maine women, especially those in rural areas, are able to access critical reproductive health care services when and where they need them from qualified providers they know and trust. These health care professionals are trained in family planning, counseling, and abortion procedures, the overwhelming majority of which are completed without complications,” Governor Mills said in a statement released on Monday. “Maine is defending the rights of women and taking a step toward equalizing access to care as other states are seeking to undermine, rollback, or outright eliminate these services.”

When the bill goes into effect next June, Maine will be the eighth state—joining New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska, California, Colorado, New York and Oregon—to permit advanced practitioners to provide abortion services.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.