Do PRC Call Centers really work?

Innovation in pregnancy resource center work isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about faithfully responding to the moment in front of us. When organizations are willing to adapt, invest, and think differently about how women first reach out for help, the impact can be extraordinary. One of our rockstar partners, First Coast Women’s Services, has done exactly that. Their decision to build an in-house Call Center has not only expanded their reach, but transformed the way they connect with abortion-minded women at the most critical point of decision.

Their story offers a compelling, real-world answer to a question many centers are asking: Do PRC Call Centers really work?

In today’s climate, women can access abortion quickly, often without time to pause and consider other options. It is critical that we reach them at the earliest moments of their search for help. Through Life Advancement Group's marketing expertise and the creation of our own Call Center, we have been able to connect with far more abortion-minded women than ever before.

In 2020, a temporary pause in in-person visits due to COVID unexpectedly opened the door to a new approach. While answering calls remotely, God redirected us toward developing the First Coast Women’s Services (FCWS) Call Center. Prior to this, we were effectively ministering in person, but the Call Center allowed us to reach more women—sooner—without overextending clinic staff.

After careful planning, we opened our phone lines in November 2021. Starting with two schedulers and one nurse providing telehealth visits and scheduling ultrasounds, the Call Center was a success from day one. We have since grown from a part-time staff of four to nine part-time and full-time staff, and expanded call coverage from 20 to 37 hours per week.

From the beginning, clients were eager to speak with a nurse. Our in-person show rate quickly exceeded the national average of 30–40%, reaching 75% within months and most recently as high as 84–90% for telehealth clients. These outcomes confirmed the value of connecting abortion-minded women with a nurse as quickly as possible. While some organizations outsource call answering, we have found that answering our own calls builds trust and fosters ongoing relationships. We also refer out-of-area callers to other PRCs while continuing to counsel and support them.

While the statistics are encouraging, the true impact lies in the relationships formed. From the first contact, callers know they are cared for, not judged. Women freely share their fears and concerns, receive education about abortion risks, and learn about parenting and adoption options. Nurses follow up to provide continued

care and support.

An unexpected outcome of the Call Center has been providing after-abortion care. Women who have had abortions—sometimes without ever speaking to us before—reach out for medical guidance, emotional support, and healing resources. Many are seeking help because they do not want to return to an abortion clinic or they received abortion pills by mail. Our nurses answer medical questions, direct women to appropriate care, and connect them to abortion-healing support sooner than is often the case.

Although some assume the Call Center operates remotely, all staff serve together in one office. This shared environment provides essential support as we engage daily with difficult and heartbreaking situations. Last year alone, the Call Center received over 2,000 abortion-minded calls. This work requires dependence on the Lord and on one another, and our team truly serves as heroes.

We believe any PRC with multiple locations would benefit from a Call Center, and even smaller centers can implement this model effectively. I wish everyone could hear what I hear as I walk through our Call Center and hear Nurses and Schedulers on the phones with callers. I hear the low hum of Schedulers gathering information while assuring their callers that we are here to help them. I hear Nurses lovingly share hard facts with tremendous grace. And I hear both Nurses and Schedulers often praying with the young women on the other end of the phone. I love this sound. It is the sound of lives being rescued.

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Prior to joining First Coast Women’s Services in 2008, Cheryl Gonzales served in a teaching ministry for eight years. She joined FCWS to help open the in-person Center in Orange Park, Florida, where she served as Center Director from 2008 to 2023. After the launch of the Call Center in 2021, Cheryl oversaw both ministries until sensing the need for each to receive focused leadership. In 2023, she stepped down as Director of the Orange Park location to serve full-time as Call Center Director. While she deeply values in-person ministry, connecting with women by phone at vulnerable moments holds a special place in her heart.

If you'd like to get in contact with Cheryl you can reach her by email cgonzales@fcwsprc.org