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NEWS FROM POWER TO DECIDE

Reminder: Special Enrollment Period Still Open

Don’t forget that the ACA’s federal marketplace, healthcare.gov, is still open through August 15, 2021. If you, a friend, loved one, patient, or client is in need of health insurance head to healthcare.gov today and get covered. We know that seems like a short time, but don’t worry. We’ve gathered the resources and reminders to help you get your plan in time.

Our Newest Power Player

We’re committed to uplifting the many individuals championing the effort to support young people’s reproductive well-being. This month’s power player is Nadine Thornhill, a sexuality educator. Read her story.

Powerful Transitions: Our 2020 Annual Report

We’ve just published our 2020 Annual Report. Some highlights from the report:

• We welcomed a new CEO, Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley. 
• We launched Abortion Finder, the most comprehensive online directory of abortion providers in the US. 
• We saw 99% positive social media sentiment for #ThxBirthControl, our annual campaign to thank contraception for all that it makes possible. 

Opening Doors and Conversations

Power to Decide’s One Key Question^® online training opens the door to a conversation about pregnancy desire. Thousands of clinical and non-clinical providers in more than 30 states are using OKQ. Support for the training is widespread:

• The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs has identified OKQ as a “best practice.” 
• The American Public Health Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists support OKQ as an effective Reproductive Life Planning strategy. 
• OKQ is aligned with the CDC’s Quality in Family Planning service delivery recommendations. 
• The American Medica Association supports the use of pregnancy intention screening as a part of routine well-care. 

Visit our OKQ portal to learn more, watch a video about the training, and to sign-up.  

Tell Us Your Birth Control Story

Since we began collecting a story bank of your birth control stories you’ve told us how the ACA helped you get access and about the barriers you’ve faced when on your birth control journey. We’ve learned so much from your stories and we’ve seen the progress our country has made to expanding access for all.

Your stories help us to highlight the continued importance of birth control and the role it plays in giving all young people the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant and to pursue the future they want, on their own terms. Please share your story to help us continue this work.

POLICY UPDATES

House Passes an Historic Funding Bill 

Last week, the US House of Representatives passed HR 4502, a funding package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The bill provides $400 million for the Title X Family Planning Program (Title X), which is an increase of $113.5 million over the current funding level. The bill also includes $130 million for the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program, an increase of $29 million other the current funding level. In addition, the bill eliminates abstinence-only programs funded in appropriations. Finally, the bill eliminates the Hyde Amendment, as well as bans on coverage of abortion care for federal employee health insurance plans and for Medicaid beneficiaries in the District of Columbia. See our full statement on the passage of this momentous bill. It is unknown when the Senate will consider its version of an appropriations bill that funds the TPP Program and Title X, but it’s important that your Senators hear from you. Contact your Senators now, especially if they are on the Senate Appropriations Committee and urge them to provide robust funding for the TPP Program and Title X.

More States to Allow Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Contraceptives

In July, Arizona and Illinois became the latest states to pass laws allowing pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraception. For the details of each law, and to see if your state has a similar policy, see Power to Decide’s interactive map on pharmacist prescribing. 

We also continue to add state-specific contraceptive landscape fact sheets to our Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit. We encourage you to share our most recent additions, New Mexico and Kansas, with your networks and to help us amplify them on social media. 

POWER UPDATES

Click here to see the top publications and articles on sexual health published in the last month.

GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR OUR WORK

Power to Decide would like to thank PRJKT Ruby for their continued support of our Contraceptive Access Fund which provides people most in need with free contraception through their donation!

Join others dedicated to ensuring all young people have the power to decide their futures by making a donation today.

©2021, Power to Decide, the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy

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