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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2019.05.08 - 31570MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #19124 BY: Commissioners Gwen Markham, District #9; Marcia Gershenson, District 13 IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — POLICY TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners believes access to factual and medically accurate information is in the best interests of the citizens of Oakland County; and WHEREAS contraception is an integral part of reproductive health care and that barriers to access can lead to unintended pregnancies and preventable abortions; and WHEREAS emergency contraception (EC), approved for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration, is a back-up birth control method that can prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. It is often used for survivors of sexual assault as a safe and effective method to prevent unwanted pregnancy; and WHEREAS women are more likely to use EC if they have it readily available through advance prescription; and WHEREAS research shows that when health centers offer women all contraceptive options, including intra -uterine devices (IUDs) and implants, the same day they want them with person -centered counseling, many more choose the most effective methods, resulting in lower rates of teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy; and WHEREAS more than half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, yet just 19 percent of women report having any conversation with a provider about pregnancy intention or contraceptive counseling; and WHEREAS awareness of EC has increased over the years, according to a Kaiser Foundation Women's Health Survey 93% of women ages 18 to 44 reported that they have ever heard of EC, a significant increase from 2004, when only 75% of women reported the same; and WHEREAS the use of EC is on the rise as well, between 2013 and 2015, 22% of women ages 15 to 44 who have had sex reported they had used EC pills at least once in their lives, an increase from 4% in 2002; and WHEREAS emergency contraception cannot and does not terminate a pre-existing pregnancy. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby expresses support for access to preventive health care services, including emergency contraception, for all women. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that "emergency contraception" for the purposes of this resolution shall be defined as any drug or device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that prevents pregnancy after sexual intercourse. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) shall provide the public with medically and factually accurate and unbiased written and oral information about emergency contraception. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall supply referrals for emergency contraception upon request. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall verbally provide all victims of sexual assault, seeking services or referrals, of their option to be provided emergency contraception. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall provide emergency contraception immediately to each survivor of sexual assault who requests it. If the emergency contraception is in the form of pills, the provision must include the initial dose, which the survivor can take on site, as well as any follow-up doses for the sexual assault survivor to self-administer later. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall ensure that each person who provides care to sexual assault victims has medically accurate and unbiased information about emergency contraception. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall provide informational materials about emergency contraception for general distribution in all county health facilities. The informational materials must, in a medically and factually accurate manner, describe the use, efficacy and availability of emergency contraception, and the fact that it does not cause abortion. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall post information about emergency contraception on the county website. The information must, in a medically and factually accurate manner, describe the use, efficacy and availability of emergency contraception, and the fact that it does not cause abortion. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OCHD shall provide emergency contraception immediately to each victim who requests it. If the emergency contraception is in the form of pills, the provision must include the initial dose, which the victim can take on site, >as well as any follow-up doses for the sexual assault victim to self-administer later. Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution, C mmissioner Gwen Markham District #9 " Commissioner Marcia Geohenson District #13 Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Resolution #19124 May 8, 2019 The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Healthy Communities and Environment Committee. There were no objections.