PATH4YOU allows women to plan their families

More than 2,000 Indiana women — and counting – have received free birth control and access to family planning services since 2021 thanks to philanthropic dollars.

But the need for such help continues to grow as the landscape for providing reproductive healthcare in Indiana becomes increasingly difficult.

"Sadly, I don’t ever see the need for person-centered, comprehensive contraceptive care going away — not in our state, for sure not in our lifetime," says Tracey Wilkinson, MD, pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Wilkinson leads one solution: PATH4YOU (Pregnancy at a Time that is Happy and Healthy For You). The program employs six clinical care providers, offering in-person and virtual appointments to underserved populations at 17 clinics across 11 Indiana counties. PATH4YOU pays for prescriptions at patients’ local pharmacies and can even arrange delivery.

Like so many things, COVID derailed original plans for PATH4YOU, which called for a mobile van that would meet patients in their communities.

“Nobody wanted to be within six feet of each other, let alone in a contained place like a van,” Dr. Wilkinson says. “Covid caused us to rethink how we delivered contraceptive care.”

Instead, patients became more comfortable with virtual care. And as the pandemic waned, PATH4YOU came into its own — and began to grow. PATH4YOU added more in-person options, expanded virtual scheduling to include evenings and weekends, and implemented an online platform to let patients select a time that works best for them.

Even more important to Dr. Wilkinson than the program’s continued growth is the response from patients.

“We love hearing from patients when they say, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever been heard. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to remove a birth control method that people refused to take out because I had a balance at their clinic. Thank you for access to this method I could never afford,’” she says.

Dr. Wilkinson notes PATH4YOU benefits not only the families who use its services, but the state’s economy.

“Every dollar spent on family planning is worth seven in public health spending,” Dr. Wilkinson says. “It’s a seven-times return on your investment. I dare you to find an investment that gives you that type of return. If you really want to impact somebody’s life, give them the ability to plan their families.”

PATH4YOU has been supported by the IU Health Community Impact Investment Fund and by individual donors committed to providing family planning options. But more investments are needed. Donate to PATH4YOU.

Join IU Health Foundation in rallying support for women’s health programs and initiatives, including PATH4YOU. Thanks to a generous donor, donations up to $150,000 for women’s health will be matched through the end of 2024. Double your impact with a gift to support healthier women and a healthier Indiana today.