RHNTC Recognized by CDC as a Leading Resource for Contraceptive Care
September 25th, 2024 | news
Last month, the CDC released updated guidelines for contraceptive care through the 2024 U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use and the 2024 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use. These guidelines aim to “remove unnecessary medical barriers to accessing and using contraception and to support providing person-centered contraceptive counseling and services in a noncoercive manner.”
For the first time, the CDC included external resources to complement its contraceptive care guidelines, including the JSI-managed Reproductive Health National Training Center (RHNTC) website. This endorsement is a testament to the RHNTC’s ongoing provision of high-quality training and technical assistance (TTA) for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care providers.
The RHNTC values the CDC’s support of our efforts to increase contraceptive access and expand person-centered contraceptive care. We truly appreciate being recognized by the organization for our work as a leader in the sexual and reproductive health field.” —Angie Fellers LeMire, RHNTC TTA Provider
Since 1978, JSI has worked with the Office of Population Affairs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to equip federally funded Title X family planning sites with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high-quality services and programming. The RHNTC was established in 2020 with additional funding from the Office on Women’s Health to meet the needs of both Title X family planning service delivery and Teen Pregnancy Prevention grantees.
A key component of the RHNTC’s TTA is equipping SRH providers to support individuals with the tools they need to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant. To that end, the RHNTC offers 800+ free resources, including clinical job aids, eLearning courses, and videos that help providers counsel clients about contraceptive use and pregnancy options. “We offer health care staff the tools and support they need to help clients make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing,” said Angie Fellers LeMire, who provides training and technical assistance on behalf of the RHNTC.
Recently, the RHNTC overhauled one of its most popular resources—the Birth Control Methods Options Chart—to reframe contraceptive options around client autonomy. The chart now guides providers to focus on clients’ contraceptive preferences as a starting point in counseling conversations. Each method’s characteristics are presented in plain language so that clinic staff in a range of roles can help clients make informed decisions based on their own preferences. In a recent survey of family planning clients, 75% cited their providers’ person-centered approach as a key contributor to having a positive experience at a visit.
On World Contraception Day, we celebrate the importance of birth control in people’s day-to-day lives. Everyone deserves access to the SRH care they need, and the RHNTC is helping to make this a reality.
The Reproductive Health National Training Center (RHNTC), managed by JSI, is a collaboration with the Office of Population Affairs and the Office on Women’s Health, both in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sign up for the RHNTC newsletter to learn about upcoming events and new resources.
