(Washington D.C., Wednesday, April 24, 2019) – Deciding if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant helps women to pursue the future they want. The Right Time initiative is making it easier for Missouri women, including those who are uninsured or underinsured, to receive quality contraceptive services.

When women get pregnant on their own terms, they face fewer challenges in achieving their educational and career goals and are better prepared for the demands of parenthood. This leads to healthier women and babies, substantial savings to Missouri’s health system, and reduced health disparities.

The Right Time is a six-year initiative working with a variety of health centers in targeted regions across the state to provide training, technical assistance, and funding to expand access to the full range of contraceptive methods. Seven health centers are joining the initiative in its first year, with two more sets of seven added the following two years, leading to a peak of 21 in 2021. The goal of The Right Time is to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy in Missouri by 10 percent by 2024.

About The Right Time:  The Right Time is a six-year initiative that is based on the simple belief that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue the future they want, including if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant. The initiative seeks to empower individuals to take control of their own health by improving information about, and removing barriers to, contraceptive services, recognizing that decisions always rest with the patient. With a goal of reducing Missouri’s unintended pregnancy rate by 10 percent, The Right Time is committed to addressing persistent health disparities that exist around unintended pregnancy and marginalized populations.

The first seven health centers selected to participate are:

• Fordland Clinic, Fordland and Kimberling City;
• Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, St. Louis;
• Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri;
• Contraceptive Choice Center, St. Louis;
• Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, Columbia;
• AIDS Project of the Ozarks, Springfield; and
• Jefferson County Health Department.