Quarterly News & Updates
Health Observances:
There are many health awareness events and activities coming up. We encourage you to get connected with health promotion activities in your community!
Upcoming Conferences & Professional Development Opportunities
- FPCI - Training Advisory Committee: Webinar - Management of Genital Herpes: October 18, 2018 12:00pm - 1:15pm. This session will provide an overview of genital herpes infections and treatment. Participants will review current evidence on types of infections and the most recent evidence and recommendations for appropriate treatment.
- EyesOpenIowa Trainings: Awkward to Awesome Sex Ed Bootcamp - October 10-11, 2018: - This two-day training will help lay the building blocks for new educators and is a great refresher for those already in the field. This training will heighten the comfort level of adults teaching sexual health, including: values clarification, boundaries, ethics, answering sensitive questions, facilitation (including role plays) and creating a safe space for LGBTQ Puberty, Reproductive Anatomy and Contraception - October 17, 2018: Participants will learn how to teach/discuss puberty, reproductive anatomy and contraception by engaging in numerous activities. Participants will leave this training with a better understanding of the topic area, and resources to use with youth. HIV/AIDS/STDs - October 18, 2018: This engaging training will help participants increase their knowledge of the basics of HIV, AIDS, and STDs. Participants will learn about the history of these diseases, testing, treatment and prevention. Teens & Tech: Talking About Sex in a Digital World - November 6, 2018: From online safety and social media to texting and sexting, this training will unpack best practices, shift fear-based messaging, and guide educators in a growing field.
- Iowa Rural Health Association Conference: It Takes a Village - November 15, 2018 Conference brings together national health policy experts, statewide partners, and local providers to discuss challenges, current efforts, and opportunities for the future as Iowa works to empower its rural communities through initiatives focusing on the elements of a healthy state.
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A Note From the Executive Director
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We have spent the past two years addressing the significant changes and challenges taking place in the Title X and family planning world. When you are so focused on tackling all those issues and feeling overwhelmed by it all, it helps to remember why we are doing this.
So, I take a deep breath and think about all the reasons why. I think about the women and men who are receiving the quality family planning services they need and how that helps them in their lives. I think about the clinic staff that work so hard to deliver quality family planning services to meet their clients’ needs. I think about the supporters who believe in the importance and value of having family planning services available across Iowa. Focusing on these reasons and the many other reasons why access to family planning is so important gives us the energy to put the stresses and tribulations aside to move forward in ensuring these services are available.
Thank you to everyone who strives to provide family planning services or to make sure they are available. You are an inspiration and are truly appreciated!
Executive Director
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Public Health Post:
Nurse Practitioners and Country Living:
September 11, 2018 -
The association of American Medical Colleges
predicts
a shortage of 120,000 physicians overall by the year 2030, estimating a shortfall of up to 49,300 primary care physicians in the United States. This is significant as it highlights the role of nurse practitioners in the primary care settings, which is likely to increase. Public Health Post Fellow, Sampada Nandyala, reported on a study that analyzed nurse practitioner trends who practiced in rural and urban settings over an eight year period. To access the full study, click
here
.
Rural Health Information Hub:
Closing the Gap Between Urban and Rural HPV Vaccination Rates:
September 18, 2018 -
Presenter Tanja Walker from the CDC discussed the recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on HPV vaccination rates in urban and rural areas. Robin C. Vanderpool from the UK College of Public Health discussed HPV-associated cancers in rural communities, and Electra D. Paskett from Ohio State University highlighted a vaccination intervention study in Appalachian Ohio.
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Update on Proposed Changes for the Title X Program
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As the Council previously reported, the public comment period for proposed rule changes for the Title X Program ended on July 31, 2018. The Title X rules are the regulations and instructions that govern how the Title X program is administered. If implemented, they will have a significant impact on family planning services. The proposed rules establish a new definition of family planning, and include adoption in that definition. They define “method of family planning” by charging that referring for abortion is treating abortion as a method of family planning. The proposed rules also expand the interpretation of the term “abortion is a method of family planning” and greatly expand the requirements regarding separation of the Title X project from abortion providers, and limit the ability of providers to provide information to clients regarding abortions.
The Department received several hundred thousand public comments, which are currently under review. There has been no timeline provided as to when we can expect an official response. The Council will keep you updated as the process moves forward.
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Training News
Webinar Series for Health Care Professionals - Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABMs) October 30, 2018, November 13, 2018, and November 27, 2018 from 9:00am -10:30am. This webinar series will provide an overview of FABMs and detailed hands-on counseling in simple FABMs with options for tracking fertility with digital apps.
Webinar - Inclusive Culture: December 4, 2018: This session will focus on how health centers can build, grow, and maintain a culture of inclusivity that supports their patient, staff, and community.
Contact Leila Schlenker, Training Coordinator, at
[email protected]
for more information on upcoming training opportunities.
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Fertility Awareness Based Contraceptive Methods
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With the new Title X grant, which began September 1, there is an increased emphasis on Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of contraception. To increase clinical staff’s knowledge and comfort level when teaching clients how to use these methods, FPCI and IDPH are sponsoring a 3 part webinar series.
These webinars will provide an overview of Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABMs) and the science behind them. Each webinar will focus on a couple of specific methods of FABMs, such as Standard Days Method and CycleBeads; TwoDay Method; and the introduction to some smart phone applications for cycle tracking and calculating fertility times. These methods identify when a woman is most likely to be fertile, so she can avoid intercourse or use a barrier method during her fertile time if she wants to prevent a pregnancy.
The Standard Days Method and CycleBeads are used by women to count the days of her menstrual cycle to identify when ovulation may occur. Women who have cycles every 26-32 days can use these methods, with fertility potentially occurring between days 8 and 19 of her cycle. A woman can mark her menstrual start on a calendar or use CycleBeads. The CycleBeads are a visual way to track a woman’s cycle. They are a string of differently colored beads. The red bead marks the first day of a woman’s cycle. The brown beads mark the days when pregnancy will likely not occur. The white beads mark the days when pregnancy is likely to occur. A black ring is moved to a new bead each day.
The TwoDay Method and Billings Ovulation Method are based on observing the presence or absence of cervical mucus or changes in its consistency to determine the beginning and end of the fertile time. With the TwoDay Method, a woman determines the presence or absence of cervical secretions today and yesterday. When cervical secretions are present two consecutive days, a woman should consider herself to be fertile.
Some smart phone applications are used only to track monthly cycles while others use an algorithm to calculate the fertile times, after a women inputs the first day of her menses. These algorithm apps use historical cycle data to improve their calculation of possible fertile days after a woman has used the app for many months.
Watch for registration information coming soon. All webinars will be recorded and posted on our website under the training tab.
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CBSS Update: 2017 CDC STD Surveillance Report
On September 25th, the CDC released the final 2017 Surveillance Report. Preliminary data was shared at the National STD Conference in August. In a statement released by CDC they outlined their concerns:
“
According to preliminary surveillance data released today at the 2018 STD Prevention Conference, n
early 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the United States in 2017. This surpassed the previous record set in 2016 by more than 200,000 cases and marked the fourth consecutive year of sharp increases in these sexually transmitted diseases.
The threat of untreatable gonorrhea persists in the United States. Reports of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea abroad have only reinforced those concerns, although we’ve not yet seen a confirmed treatment failure in the U.S. when using the currently recommended two-drug combination therapy.
A renewed commitment from health care providers — who are encouraged to make STD screening and timely treatment a standard part of medical care, especially for the populations most affected — is an important component to reverse current trends.”
New Resources from Iowa Department of Public Health
Have you ever checked out the Resources page for the STD Program on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website? There are a myriad of different types of fact sheets, program guidelines, manuals, and surveillance data. The website also provides the map and names of the current Disease Intervention Specialist for your area. The DIS can help you with case reporting, treatment, and partner services.
Three new fact sheets on the website are especially designed for clinicians and other medical staff to provide information about guidelines and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. A fourth new fact sheet outlines information for providers about extra-genital testing. Please go to the website and download these fact sheets and share them in your office and with your staff.
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Family Planning of Southeast Iowa Now Open!
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Family Planning of Southeast Iowa held its Open House on Thursday September 20, 2018. FPCI's Executive Director, Jodi Tomlonovic, along with many community supporters, attended the open house. Family Planning of Southeast Iowa is one of ten family planning providers who receive Title X family planning funds through FPCI.
The clinic is located at 801 S. Roosevelt Ave. Suite C, in Burlington, Iowa. Clinic hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 1:00pm - 6:00pm, and Fridays from 8:00am - 1:00pm.
The Council is very excited about working with Family Planning of Southeast Iowa to restore access to family planning services for residents in Burlington.
Pictured below (left to right): Clinic Manager, Cherry Klein and Medical Assistant, Karen Stalzer
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FAMILY PLANNING COUNCIL OF IOWA
108 3RD ST. STE. 220 DES MOINES, IA 50309
| 515.288.9028 | 515.288.4048 |
This publication is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Office of Population Affairs/Family Planning: The information, comments, and views posted in this correspondence are the sole responsibility of the Family Planning Council of Iowa.
© 2018 Family Planning Council of Iowa, All Rights Reserved.
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