Historically, reproductive health care providers paid little attention to the needs of males, and the vast majority of clients seen in clinics were women. Traditional teen pregnancy prevention also focused on females, although the need to engage males is now recognized as critical. Toward this end, in 1996, California’s Office of Family Planning launched the Male Involvement Program (MIP), a teen pregnancy prevention program for males. One important goal of the MIP was to build linkages with clinical services. This paper highlights the relationships formed between 25 local MIP agencies and local health clinics. A statewide evaluation of the MIP garnered information through interviews with program staff, quarterly progress reports, and a review of the number of male clients seen in a subset of MIP referral clinics. Evaluation findings indicate that MIP programs have formed valuable ties and collaboratives with clinics and routinely refer males for health services. Due to MIP efforts, local clinics became more “male friendly” (e.g., waiting rooms made more comfortable for males), expanded outreach services to males, increased the number of male staff in some sites, and provided services for males outside the clinic setting (e.g., HIV/STD testing for males in detention facilities). Data gathered through the Family PACT clinic evaluation also provide a means to track the number of male clients and types of services received for a subset of MIP referral clinics. The MIP’s experience in building linkages offers valuable insight for other communities seeking to promote the use of clinic services by males.
Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize the importance of expanding family planning and reproductive health services for adolescent males and young adult men. 2. Describe the role of the Male Involvement Program in building linkages with health services providers and promoting males’ use of clinic health services in California.
Keywords: Reproductive Health, Male Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Office of Family Planning,
Male Involvement Program,
University of California, San Francisco
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.