Family Planning Clinics
From LoveToKnow Pregnancy
About Family Planning Clinics
Family planning clinics are special doctors' offices that are devoted to reproductive health. Most handle things like sexually transmitted diseases (STD's), gynecological check-ups, and pregnancy tests as well as birth control. Some are run by the government, while others are private organizations.
Clinics are often staffed by physician's assistants or nurse practitioners. Although they are not medical doctors, they can provide treatment and write prescriptions. They are usually well-trained to handle questions about and problems with birth control or reproductive health.
Family planning clinics usually take insurance. Some also have a sliding scale for payment to help people who do not have insurance. On a sliding scale, low-income people receive a greater discount than those with higher earning power.
Why Use a Clinic?
Your regular doctor or OB/GYN can provide a lot of the same services as a family planning clinic. Some women choose clinics because they do not have a regular doctor. Others do not have insurance to pay for a doctor's appointment. If the clinic has a sliding scale for payment, it can be much more affordable than other sources of medical care.
Family planning clinics are usually very up-to-date on birth control methods and issues of reproductive health. If your regular doctor does not do a lot of reproductive care, he/she may not be comfortable prescribing birth control or doing gynecological exams. In that case, a family planning clinic can be a good option.
Occasionally, a woman will want to be tested for STD's or have other care without letting her regular doctor know. However, keeping medical information from your doctor can make it difficult for him/her to give you the best possible care.
Types of Clinics
Family planning clinics may be run by the city, county, or state government. These clinics provide low-cost or even free care to low-income residents. They usually offer a wide range of services including birth control, STD and HIV screening and treatment, and pregnancy tests and counseling. Government-run clinics generally do not provide abortions.
Clinics may also be run by private organizations. Funding for these clinics comes from a combination of sources which may include government grants, donations, and patient fees. Planned Parenthood is the most well-known family planning organization, with affiliated clinics in every state. Planned Parenthood's mission is to provide affordable reproductive health care and to give each patient a full range of reproductive choices. There are many other organizations which run family planning clinics. Some, including some Planned Parenthood clinics, provide abortions in addition to their other services.
A few clinics are dedicated to natural family planning or to religious values that dictate which services they offer. These clinics usually make it clear that they do not offer a full range of birth control options.
Government Funding and Clinics
Title X is a federal program to provide funding for family planning. Many clinics, both government-run and private, receive Title X funds.
Clinics which use Title X funding are required to provide a broad range of birth control options, including natural family planning. They also must offer preventive care including patient education and counseling; breast and pelvic examinations; screenings for cervical cancer, STD's, and HIV; and pregnancy tests and counseling. Federally funded clinics do not have to offer abortions. However, they must provide women with counseling about all options for an unwanted pregnancy. Title X money can not be used directly for providing abortions.
Family planning clinics also receive government money through Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the Maternal and Child Health and Social Services department, and other government programs dedicated to health care.
Finding a Family Planning Clinic
To find a government-run clinic, check with your state or local health department. You can find the health department telephone number in the government listings in the phone book. Many health departments have web sites with details about their services.
Private family planning clinics are listed in the phone book. Try looking under "Birth Control." Some clinics also have web sites.
Learn More
Comments
Brianna,
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-- Contributed by: HollySwansonwhat are the names of the best prenatal pills to take in the first trimester or what are the most popular?
-- Contributed by: briannaThis page has been accessed 1,494 times. This page was last modified 06:00, 8 April 2006.
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