Program Priorities

2010 Family Planning Program Priorities

1. Assuring the delivery of quality family planning and related preventive health services, where evidence exists that those services should lead to improvement in the overall health of individuals, with priority for services to individuals from low-income families;
2. Expanding access to a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and related preventive health services that include natural family planning methods, infertility services, and services for adolescents, including adolescent abstinence counseling. The broad range of services does not include abortion as a method of family planning;
3. Providing preventive health care services in accordance with nationally recognized standards of care. This includes, but is not limited to, breast and cervical cancer screening and prevention services; sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV prevention education, testing, and referral; and, other related preventive health services;
4. Emphasizing the importance of counseling family planning clients on establishing a reproductive life plan, and providing preconception counseling as a part of family planning services, as appropriate;
5. Assuring compliance with State laws requiring notification or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest;
6. Encouraging participation of families, parents, and/or legal guardians in the decision of minors to seek family planning services; and providing counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities; and
7. Addressing the comprehensive family planning and other health needs of individuals, families, and communities through outreach to hard-to-reach and/or vulnerable populations, and partnering with other community-based health and social service providers that provide needed services.