Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a new program, Take Control of your Birth Control to ensure Michigan families have access to free contraception including over-the-counter oral birth control pills, emergency contraception, condoms, and family planning educational resources through community partners and federally qualified health centers across the state during the month of November.
Take Control of Your Birth Control is funded through the bipartisan budget, and comes as the Biden-Harris administration proposes that insurance covers over-the-counter birth control.
“Everyone, no matter how much money they make, deserves to make their own decisions about their own reproductive health and future,” said Governor Whitmer. “With our family planning initiative, ‘Take Control of Your Birth Control,’ we are building on our work to protect reproductive freedom for all Michiganders. By expanding access to essential family planning tools, we are underscoring our commitment to ensuring Michiganders, along with their families and trusted health care providers, can make their own decisions about their own bodies and lives.”
“Family planning tools are an essential component of public health all Michigan residents should be able to access,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive. “We want to make sure that individuals who need and want these tools can easily obtain them, and we are committed to helping people take control of their reproductive health in a way that is both empowered and informed.”
This effort was made possible thanks to the work of the Michigan legislature, who secured $5.6 million in this year’s bipartisan budget to support DHHS’s expansion of its family planning program. The goal is to ensure individuals, regardless of their circumstances, have access to tools that allow them to make informed decisions about their health and future. Beginning in November, organizations will distribute emergency contraception, condoms, and over-the-counter oral contraceptive, for free to the general public, regardless of insurance and will continue as long as supplies are available.
Alongside free supplies, Take Control of Your Birth Control will give Michiganders the information they need to continue to get vital supplies covered going forward. This campaign reflects the state’s ongoing commitment to ensuring equitable access to reproductive health services. Beginning in November, Michigan families are encouraged to visit michigan.gov/takecontrol to find an interactive map of organizations participating in the effort and learn more about how to access these essential resources.
“Family planning is a fundamental right,” said state Representative Jenn Hill (D-Marquette). “Through Plan First!, more Michiganders have access to affordable reproductive health services, including birth control and STI testing. This is vital health care for those who are uninsured or underinsured and for communities like those in the U.P. that often experience gaps in health care coverage. I am grateful for the increased access this program has provided over the past year, and I look forward to seeing it continue to help folks make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”
Comments