Title: Family planning clinics: current status and recent changes in services, clients, staffing, and income sources.

POPLINE Document Number: 102031

Author(s):

Burt MR
Aron LY
Schack LR

Source citation:

Washington, D.C., Urban Institute, 1994 Mar. xix, 92, [9] p.

Abstract:

As part of a larger project commissioned by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation to assess the status of publicly funded family planning (FP) services in the US, this study examined the actual level of service delivery as reported by clinic managers and direct care workers. Information was gathered by questionnaires (388 respondents from 600 randomly selected clinics) on the following topics: 1) a description of the organization and size of the clinics in the sample; 2) the configuration of clinic services (services available, services added recently, comprehensiveness, and changing client needs); 3) the uniqueness of the services offered (client race/ethnicity characteristics, income levels, and access to services); 4) payment structures and other financial issues, such as free or subsidized care, medicaid eligibility, Title X funding, budget changes, responses to funding constraints over the past 5 years, and factors affecting these responses; 5) staffing, administrative, and regulatory issues, such as the characteristics of the clinic managers, the work context, and recruiting and retention; 6) the working conditions and perspectives of direct care workers, including their characteristics, in-service training, HIV-related training, specific tasks, what services are needed but not available, birth control methods desired and used, outreach, and job conditions; and 7) managers' perceptions of policy options in delivering FP services, including top priorities, new contraceptive methods, and health care reform proposals. The final section presents conclusions and implications in regard to clients, financial issues, staffing, services, and the future of FP. Specific information on the methodology of this study is included in the appendix.

Keywords:

United States
Family Planning Programs
Family Planning Personnel
Clients
Family Planning Centers
Delivery of Health Care
Funds
Family Planning Program Administration
Family Planning Personnel Characteristics
Financial Activities
Government Programs
Developed Countries
North America
Americas
Family Planning
Programs
Organization and Administration
Program Activities
Health Facilities
Health
Economic Factors