Family Planning

• Breastfeeding Support
• Family Planning
• For Childcare Providers
• Home Visiting Programs
• MCAH Advisory Board
• Prenatal and Maternity Care
• Resources for Providers
• Sonoma County SIDS Program

Do you want to prevent a pregnancy? Do you want to plan a pregnancy? If your answer is "yes" to either of these questions, the Family PACT program may be for you.

What is Family PACT?

Family PACT is a program that provides eligible low-income men and women, with access to convenient, confidential family planning services, as well as education, counseling and treatment.

Family PACT can help you:

• Learn how to prevent pregnancy
• Plan for a healthy pregnancy
• Learn options for an unplanned pregnancy
• Prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections

Family PACT can give you:

• Birth control pills, patches, shots, and implants
• Emergency contraception
• Intra-uterine contraceptives (IUDs)
• Female and male condoms
• Spermicides and diaphragms
• Female and male sterilization

How Do I Qualify?

Women, men, and teens able to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy can get Family PACT services if they are low-income California residents. You may qualify for Family PACT:

• If you have no medical insurance or can't get Medi-Cal.
• If you have insurance, but it doesn't cover family planning or birth control methods.
• If you have insurance, but you haven't met your deductible.
• If you have Medi-Cal with Share of Cost but you have not met your Share of Cost.
• If you have Medi-Cal but it doesn't cover family planning.
• If you have insurance or Medi-Cal, but you need to keep family planning services confidential.

Source: California Family PACT.

To find out if you may qualify, call (800) 427-8982, or use the Family PACT provider finder to find a doctor or clinic near you. They can help you with the simple application process.

How Do I Apply?

Applying for the Family PACT program is easy. Certified Application Assistors (CAAs) are available at locations throughout Sonoma County to help you apply. Select a location and call today. Or you can just make an appointment with a Family PACT provider. They can help you with the simple application process, and qualify you for services right at their office.

Emergency Contraception (EC), also known as the morning after pill, can prevent pregnancy after sex. EC is a higher dosage of the same hormones found in daily birth control pills. It is taken in one dose up to five (5) days after unprotected sex. Plan B is the name of the EC product on the market in the U.S. today.

EC is not the same thing as Mifeprex or RU-486, which terminates an early pregnancy. EC helps to prevent pregnancy. It is safe and doesn't work if a woman is already pregnant.

Most health care providers will dispense EC in advance with other birth control methods, or will prescribe it over the phone without a visit. Eligible women can obtain EC from a Family PACT provider at no cost. Medi-Cal will also cover prescriptions for EC. Participating pharmacies may dispense EC without a prescription for a $10 consultation fee, plus the cost of the EC pills. In August 2006, the FDA approved Plan B for over the counter (OTC) sale for individuals 18 and older. Women under 18 years of age still need a prescription, or can use the pharmacy access program.

For more information visit: www.not-2-late.com.

EC Info from Family PACT: Had unprotected sex? It's not too late! (pdf)

Related Links

The Hookup
Get weekly sex info and life advice sent to you for free! You can also find the nearest clinic to you for low to no cost sexual health services, if you enter your zip code.

Map of Teen Clinics in Sonoma County
Use this interactive Google Map to locate a teen clinic near you.

ThinkPregnancy.org
Learn more about the effects of alcohol and marijuana during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and drink alcohol or smoke pot, stop now. If you are sexually active and party, use protection every time.