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Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit

This digital toolkit presents a variety of materials for elected officials, public health officials, and advocates. The fact sheets, maps, research articles, videos, policy briefs, and other documents that make up this toolkit are intended to educate on the state of contraceptive access on a national and state-by-state level, and policy steps that states can take to improve access. Specifically, this toolkit currently focuses on three policies: coverage for an extended supply of contraception, protecting contraceptive coverage, and pharmacist prescribing of contraception.

New content will be added over time, and the materials below are updated regularly to reflect the latest changes in access, so check back to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. 

Additionally, we are acutely aware of the toll the current pandemic is taking on people’s health, well-being, and economic security. We salute the heroic work being done by health officials and front-line health workers – among many others. COVID-19 is exacerbating existing challenges and inequities faced by women already struggling to make ends meet. Now more than ever, access to health care, including reproductive health care, is incredibly important. Read our press release on how telehealth can serve to assist access to reproductive health services. 

Resources for Everyone

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Contraceptive Access Landscapes

Our state contraceptive landscape fact sheets show contraceptive deserts and what policies the state has enacted in order to increase contraceptive access. They also highlight the impact of Title X services in the state or the direct impact of the Title X domestic gag rule in states affected by it. Check out the growing list of states.

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Tools for You

Below we have organized resources for three state-level audiences: elected officials (state legislators and their staff, governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general); public health officials (appointed and career staff working in state and local health departments); and advocates (those in national, state, or community organizations advocating to expand access to contraception at the state and local level). Some information is the same for all audiences, while other resources are curated or tailored to be most relevant for each audience.

Elected Officials

State Reproductive Health Access Policies: The living maps on this page show the legislative details of three types of policies; extended supply of contraceptives, protecting contraceptive coverage, and pharmacist prescribing of contraception.

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Key State Policies at a Glance: This fact sheets details policies that help to expand access to and information about contraception. 

Extended Supply of Contraception: Twenty-one states require insurers to increase the number of months for which they cover prescription contraceptives at one time. This fact sheet offers details on the laws in each of those states.

State Actions to Protect and Enhance the ACA's Contraceptive Coverage Provision: Federal guidelines require the majority of health insurance plans to cover at least one contraceptive for each of the 18 FDA approved methods, without copays or deductibles. This fact sheet details how some states have taken action to codify and/or expand upon the federal provision.

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing the policies in the 11 states that have passed this policy. We have also created an infographic of this information.

Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 

Contraception 101: Understand why everyone needs access to the full range of FDA approved methods of birth control (coming soon). 

Contraceptive Deserts 101: Understand the basics about our birth control deserts and how to communicate their significance (coming soon). 

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule (coming soon). 

External Resources:

Public Health Officials

State Reproductive Health Access Policies: The living maps on this page show the legislative details of three types of policies; extended supply of contraceptives, protecting contraceptive coverage, and pharmacist prescribing of contraception. 

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Impacts of the Domestic Gag Rule: The domestic gag rule’s impact on birth control access is nothing short of catastrophic for people living on limited incomes. This fact sheet breaks down all of the impacts that the domestic gag rule has one women in the United States. 

State Policies to Increase Information About and Access to Contraception: This policy brief describes a number of emerging state policy trends to expand information about and access to birth control.

State Actions to Protect and Enhance the ACA's Contraceptive Coverage Provision: Federal guidelines require the majority of health insurance plans to cover at least one contraceptive for each of the 18 FDA approved methods, without copays or deductibles. This fact sheet details how some states have taken action to codify and/or expand upon the federal provision.

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing the policies in the 11 states that have passed this policy. We have also created an infographic of this information.

Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 

Sample Op-Eds / Blogs on State Contraceptive Landscapes: Use these state-specific sample op-eds/blogs to raise attention on the issues and solutions in your state. More states will be available in the near future. 

Contraception 101: Understand why everyone needs access to the full range of FDA approved methods of birth control (coming soon). 

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule (coming soon). 

External Resources:

Advocates

Tip Sheet for Advocates: How to Use this Toolkit to Take Action: This tip sheet provides actionable ideas and linked resources from the tool kit to get you started.

State Reproductive Health Access Policies: The living maps on this page show the legislative details of three types of policies; extended supply of contraceptives, protecting contraceptive coverage, and pharmacist prescribing of contraception. 

State Resources on Reproductive Well-Being: This is a one-stop-shop for Power to Decide's state-specific materials related to policy, federal funding, contraceptive landscape, and data. 

Key State Policies at a Glance: This fact sheets details policies that help to expand access to and information about contraception.

Extended Supply of Contraception: Twenty-one states require insurers to increase the number of months for which they cover prescription contraceptives at one time. This fact sheet offers details on the laws in each of those states.

State Actions to Protect and Enhance the ACA's Contraceptive Coverage Provision: Federal guidelines require the majority of health insurance plans to cover at least one contraceptive for each of the 18 FDA approved methods, without copays or deductibles. This fact sheet details how some states have taken action to codify and/or expand upon the federal provision.

Pharmacist Prescribing of Hormonal Birth Control: Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in expanding the authority of pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense some hormonal birth control methods. This fact sheet includes an overview of the policy, including benefits and implementation considerations, and a table summarizing the policies in the 11 states that have passed this policy. We have also created an infographic of this information.

Everyone Loves Birth Control: Birth control is directly linked to a wide array of benefits to women, men, children, and society, including fewer unplanned pregnancies. This brief is regularly updated with the latest data. 

Sample Op-Eds on State Contraceptive Landscapes: Use these state-specific sample op-eds/blogs to raise attention on the issues and solutions in your state. More states will be available in the near future. 

State Responses to the Title X Domestic Gag Rule (coming soon).

Contraception 101: Learn the basics about birth control, and how to communicate the importance of everyone having access to the full range of methods to policymakers (coming soon).

Contraceptive Deserts 101: Understand the basics about our birth control deserts and how to communicate their significance (coming soon). 

External Resources: