Various Centre County counseling service officials say they foresee little or no change in their operations under the state's new abortion restrictions. The closest abortion clinics to State College are in Harrisburg.

Catherine Bouvia, outreach coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, 111 Sowers St., said she could not predict what effects the restrictions would have on counseling services and abortion clinics. The center's political stance is pro-choice, she said.

"Reproductive freedom is necessary for women in society. We disagree with any legislation that would restrict women's reproductive freedom," Bouvier said.

Both Birthright Inc., 111 Sowers St., and Centre Region Crisis Pregnancy Service, 114 S. Fraser St., -- national volunteer organizations funded by churches and private donations -- predict few changes in their programs.

Birthright offers free pregnancy tests, including post-abortion tests to see if any fetal tissue remains because it could cause infection. It also provides adoption information and abortion counseling that outlines the physical risks. Birthright's political view is pro-life, said volunteer Aurelia Adams.

"We are delighted with that bill that passed," she added.

Centre Region Crisis Pregnancy Service offers Centre County women free pregnancy tests and confidential counseling.

"We do not support abortion, but we do offer information on all the options in a crisis pregnancy," said CRCPS Director Sandy Evans.

CRCPS may have to recruit more volunteers to review all the options and information with the women because this is part of the new legislative measure, she said.

Susan Hertzenberg, a student counselor for the Student Assistance and Information Center on campus, said the center rarely deals with pregnancy cases.

Student counselor Supervisor Sharon Mortensen said, "We just lay out the options; there will be no change in the counseling process."

Another local group disagrees with the legislation.

"(The legislators) are making themselves like God -- they can't even see the women involved," said Jean Guertler, treasurer of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Terry Watson, director of Centre County Children and Youth Services, 256 E. College Ave., speculated on the effect of the legislation on adoption services. "I would assume there would be an increase in the number of children up for adoption,"

Two to four adoptions a year take place in the county, he said, comparing this figure to the 20 or more adoptions a year that took place 15 years ago.

The organization has no stance on abortion, Watson said.

"We just have to comply with what the law says," he said. "We are a public agency; we have no choice."