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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Marina Chabot, MSc¹, Sandy Navarro², Carrie Lewis, MPH³, Heike Thiel de Bocanegra, PhD, MPH¹, and Phillip Darney, MD, MPH⁴. (1) Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, University of California, San Francisco, PO Box 997413 MS 8400, Sacramento, CA 95899-7413, 916-650-0467, mchabot@dhs.ca.gov, (2) California Department of Health Services Office of Family Planning, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, PO Box 997413 MS 8400, Sacramento, CA 95899-7413, (3) California Department of Health Services Office of Family Planning, UCSF/CA Department of Health Services, MCAH/OFP, 1615 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95819, (4) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 1001 Portero Ave, Ward 6D, San Francisco, CA 94110

Access to reproductive health care, including family planning, is recognized internationally as an essential human right. Nationally, the policies and services for family planning vary greatly from state-to-state. California is not only one of the largest geographic areas in the nation, but also the most populous and ethnically diverse state. California's Family PACT program is a leader in the nation in providing comprehensive family planning services at no cost to eligible low-income residents. By providing high quality services and a full range of FDA approved contraceptive methods, Family PACT has facilitated equality in family planning choices for the indigent, uninsured, and working poor. During fiscal year 2003/2004, over 1.5 million clients were served in the Program and 75% of the need in the State for family planning services was met among low-income women. The Bixby Center, which is within the University of California San Francisco, provides program monitoring and evaluation of Family PACT. The evaluation includes a met need study for family planning services in California. To account for the State's diversity, a complex array of survey data was compiled and combined with program data to produce a better measure of needs met. By painting a detailed picture by race/ethnicity, age, geographic boundaries not only can the success of Family PACT be measured, but the information can be utilized as a spring board for further intervention strategies and policy development. Utilization of GIS to create maps has emerged as an effective tool for information dissemination.

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