Michigan offering free birth control pills, condoms at over 300 locations
Michigan residents now have access to free contraception including over-the-counter birth control pills, emergency contraception and condoms through the Take Control of your Birth Control program. Bridge photo by Daytona Niles and a courtesy photo of Opill.
Editor’s note: Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD) can help with birth control and emergency contraception. Call 734-544-6700 or email health@washtenaw.org. Birth control can help prevent unplanned pregnancies, manage medical conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, make periods less painful, and more. WCHD also offers free condoms and lube at their office at 555 Towner in Ypsilanti from a vending machine.
by Janelle D. James (Bridge Michigan)
Michigan is offering free birth control pills, emergency contraception and condoms to state residents at more than 300 locations.
The free contraceptives will be available while supplies last through local and state health department offices and federally qualified health centers. The program, called Take Control of Your Birth Control, started Wednesday and is designed to expand access to reproductive health care and provide family planning education.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the program in October. It comes at a time of uncertainty over reproductive rights under President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has said he does not advocate restrictions on birth control, but some women, worried about losing access, have begun stocking up on emergency contraception, according to reports.
In Michigan, reproductive health care, including abortion access, has been protected by the state’s constitution.
“The goal of this program is to ensure individuals, regardless of their circumstances, have access to tools that allow them to make their own decisions about their health and future,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive.
No insurance needed
These resources are available to individuals at no cost whether they are insured or not, according to the press statement.
The program also provides residents with information on how to get ongoing coverage for contraceptive care. But those without insurance can apply for the Plan First! program, which offers coverage for contraceptive care, family planning and testing for sexually transmitted infections.
Individuals must apply for the Plan First! program either online, in person at a local MDHHS county office or by calling 855-789-5610.
“Everyone deserves the freedom to make their own decisions about their reproductive health,” said Whitmer in a press statement.
“Decisions about reproductive health care should be between a woman, her doctor, and her trusted community. In Michigan, we must always protect your fundamental right to control your health and your future.”
This article is being republished through a syndication agreement with Bridge Michigan. Bridge Michigan is Michigan’s largest nonprofit news service and one of the nation’s leading and largest nonprofit civic news providers. Their coverage is nonpartisan, fact-based, and data-driven. Find them online at https://www.bridgemi.com/.
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