CLAYTON — More St. Louis County residents will soon be able to get free or low-cost birth control.
Patients can already access same-day birth control services, but new federal money will help county clinics have more contraceptives on-hand, said Department of Public Health spokesman Chris Ave.
The county’s three health centers accept most major private insurance plans and Medicare and Medicaid. Care for those without insurance is provided on a sliding fee scale.
Expanded services start in April 2023.
The clinics provide a number of contraceptive types, including emergency contraceptives, such as the Plan B pill, designed to prevent pregnancy after having unprotected sex. Missouri lawmakers unsuccessfully tried last year to ban taxpayer money from paying for emergency contraception.
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The new service is part of a partnership with the Missouri Family Health Council, a federally funded agency that provides reproductive and sexual health care. The county will receive $85,000 for birth control supplies in the first year, according to the health department.
“The partnership has never been more important given the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade,” County Executive Sam Page said at a news conference Thursday.
The health department has clinics at:
• John C. Murphy Health Center, 6121 North Hanley Road, Berkeley; 314-615-0500
• North Central Community Health Center, 4000 Jennings Station Road, Pine Lawn; 314-615-9700
• South County Health Center, 4580 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Sunset Hills; 314-615-0400
The clinics offer reproductive and pregnancy care, family planning counseling and wellness exams to roughly 3,500 patients annually. The public health department also provides services to the county jail and juvenile detention facility.
Other federally funded family planning providers in the St. Louis region include:
• Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers: West Site, 7200 Manchester Road, Maplewood; North Site: 11642 West Florissant Avenue, Florissant; Mobile Van Health Services: 5701 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis
• Family Care Health Centers: Carondelet, 401 Holly Hills Avenue, St. Louis; Forest Park, 4352 Manchester Avenue, St. Louis
• Affinia Healthcare: 2600 Hadley Street; 3930 South Broadway; 4414 North Florissant; 1717 Biddle Street; 2220 Lemp Avenue; 800 North Tucker Boulevard; 3400 South Jefferson Avenue; 1430 Olive Street, Suite 400
• Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers: 5471 Martin L King Drive; 5541 Riverview Boulevard; 2425 North Whittier Street
The Missouri Primary Care Association provides a searchable list of clinics statewide on its website at mo-pca.org/find-a-health-center.
