Welcome to the Public Affairs & Advocacy Section of the Family Planning Council
Public Affairs is the hub of the Council's advocacy activities in support of women's health care issues. Specifically, staff in this Department work on media relations, public relations, legislative activities, and community organizing.
If you want to help the Council promote its Mission, protect the programs we support, and expand access to reproductive health care, you've come to the right place.
Here's what we are working on right now and how you can help:
Keeping Women Healthy
Protecting Title X
Raising Public Awareness about Microbicide Research
Non-partisan Voter Registration
Keeping Women Healthy
Keeping Women Healthy (KWH) is a statewide effort to provide preventive health care services to adult, uninsured women in Pennsylvania.
There are over 100 Pennsylvania organizations and institutions that are in full support of Keeping Women Healthy.
Program components include:
- Screenings for cervical, colorectal and breast cancers
- Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases for women & their partners
- Contraception
- Screening for hypertension, anemia and diabetes
- Ongoing education
The services provided through the KWH program include early screening and limited treatment for pre-cancerous conditions. KWH providers use the latest screening and treatment options. Thin prep, LEEP, HPV typing, cone biopsy, cryosurgery, and colposcopy are some of the services provided, and are the most sophisticated and effective options available.
Since the program’s implementation in 2002, over 300,000 cancer screening procedures and treatments were provided through the KWH Cervical Cancer Screening Program.
$750,000 has been included as a line item in the Governor’s Budget for FY2009.
Protecting Title X
Title X (10) is also known as the Federal family planning program. This program uses public funds to support comprehensive family planning and related services to low-income women, men, and adolescents across the country. Here in the five county Philadelphia area, the Council uses Title X funds to support services at 27 local agencies.
Click here for the listing of all the Title X supported family planning clinics in the five county Philadelphia area.
Fortunately, the FY2009 Federal budget level funded Title X programs. Even though no cuts in funding were made, medical costs and the number of patients continue to rise, and the need for further funding remains an important issue. We will be updating this section of the website with news about Title X and we will be posting alerts. You can also visit the website for the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) for the latest information about Title X.
Visit the NFPRHA website.
Raising Public Awareness about Microbicide Research
Microbicides represent an important breakthrough in the prevention of HIV and STDs among women. The Council is working as part of a national campaign to increase public awareness about the need for Federal funding in microbicide research.
A microbicide is a substance that can substantially reduce transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV when applied either in the vagina or rectum. Microbicides are currently not available; however scientists are testing them for effectiveness. A successful microbicide could be available by the end of the decade.
For more information on microbicides and the national campaign visit:
Alliance for Microbicide Development
Global Campaign for Microbicides
Non-partisan Voter Registration
The Council is committed to ensuring that all eligible individuals are registered to vote and make it to the polls on Election Day. Click here for information on voter registration, voting, locating your polling location, and other helpful voting tips.
You may also contact as at publicaffairs@familyplanning.org
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