Office of Family Planning
The Office of Family Planning (OFP) is charged by the California Legislature “to make available to citizens of the State who are of childbearing age comprehensive medical knowledge, assistance, and services relating to the planning of families.” The purpose of family planning is to provide women and men a means by which they decide for themselves the number, timing, and spacing of their children.
The
Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (Family PACT) Program is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), OFP and has been operating since 1997 to provide family planning and reproductive health services at no cost to California’s low-income (under 200% federal poverty level) residents of reproductive age. The program offers comprehensive family planning services, including contraception, pregnancy testing, and sterilization, as well as sexually transmitted infection testing and limited cancer screening services.
Announcements
Family PACT Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities Policy Updated
Effective April 15, 2024, DHCS has expanded the clinicians eligible to be a Family PACT Program site certifier to include Physician Assistants (PAs) and has made updates to the required provider training requirements.
With this policy update, PAs are eligible to be designated as the site certifier. The designated site certifier is responsible for overseeing the family planning services rendered at a service location. Site certifiers must complete all required trainings approved by the Office of Family Planning to certify the service location, including attending Provider Orientation, unless the site certifier has attended a Provider Orientation within the last two years. The site certifier is also responsible for ensuring that all practitioners and personnel providing services on behalf of the Family PACT program complete all required trainings in their respective training tracks every two years.
Additional information about Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities is available on the Family PACT Provider Enrollment webpage and Family PACT Policies, Procedures and Billing Instructions Manual, Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities section.
DHCS Expands Adult Full Scope Medi-Cal for Qualifying Individuals Ages 26 through 49
Medi-Cal is changing its rules so more people can get covered. Starting January 1, 2024, more adults will be eligible for full Medi-Cal benefits. Immigration status doesn't matter. Even if you've been denied full Medi-Cal recently, you could be eligible now. Learn more about the rule changes and apply today at GetMedi-CalCoverage.dhcs.ca.gov!
Family PACT Telehealth Policy
OFP is providing a preview of telehealth policy updates for the Family PACT Program that will be published in the June
Family PACT Update. Family PACT telehealth policy follows Medi-Cal telehealth policy to the extent it is applicable to the Family PACT Program and covered services. Some exceptions are:
Definitions
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Distant site: For Family PACT, the distant site must be the enrolled service site. In Medi-Cal, the distant site "can be different than the administrative location."
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Originating site: For Family PACT, definition modified.
Billing Requirements: Family PACT policy refers providers to the appropriate Medi-Cal Telehealth section/subsections instead of including in the Family PACT telehealth policy. All of the codes and modifiers listed in Medi-Cal telehealth policy also apply to Family PACT.
Provider Recordkeeping Requirements: This is not noted in Family PACT telehealth policy itself, but was added to the Provider Enrollment & Responsibilities section of the Policies, Procedures, and Billing Instructions (PPBI) manual under “Medical Record Documentation."
Establishing New Patients via Telehealth: Family PACT providers may establish a relationship with new patients via audio-only synchronous interaction only if one or more of the following applies:
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The visit is related to the provision of family planning services in accordance with California Family Code Section 6925, subd. (a), Welfare and Institutions Code (W&I Code), Section 24003, subd. (b), or medical care related to the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) according to California Family Code Section 6926, et seq. obtained by a patient at or above the minimum age specified for consenting to these services.
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The patient requests an audio-only modality.
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The patient attests they do not have access to video
Benefits: Clinical Services Overview (updates begin on page 6)
Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities (updates on page 18)
California's Reproductive Health Access Demonstration (CalRHAD)
California is requesting a new Section 1115 demonstration, entitled California's Reproductive Health Access Demonstration (CalRHAD).
Visit
DHCS CalRHAD Webpage for more information.
Termination of COVID-19 Flexibilities for Family PACT and Updated Client Enrollment Policy
On March 26, 2020, DHCS published guidance that allowed Family PACT providers to enroll and recertify clients through telehealth or other virtual/telephonic communication modalities during the federally-declared COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). As noted in the guidance, the temporary flexibilities related to client enrollment and recertification would end upon termination of the PHE. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced its intention to end the COVID-19 PHE on May 11, 2023.
In preparation for the end of the COVID-19 PHE, DHCS updated the client enrollment policy to allow Family PACT providers to continue to enroll and recertify clients through synchronous or telephonic modalities post PHE, and solicited public comment on the draft policy. DHCS' responses to comments received can be found in the link below.
Effective for dates of service on or after May 12, 2023, Family PACT providers must adhere to the updated Client Eligibility section published in the Family PACT Policies, Procedures and Billing Instructions (PPBI) manual.
Final Policy
DHCS Responses to Public Comments
Family PACT Integration into CalHEERS
OFP is pleased to announce the Family PACT client eligibility determination and enrollment transaction portal will transition to the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment and Retention (CalHEERS) in early 2025.
This transition will allow individuals interested in family planning services the ability to apply and enroll into the Family PACT Program. Family PACT providers will continue to enroll and re-enroll clients within a new CalHEERS interface. Updates will be published in future bulletins.
Open Data Portal
The Family PACT Program data tables and visualizations for public use can be accessed on the California Health and Human Services Open Data Portal. The data tables include information on provider and client populations, service utilization, client and provider enrollment data, client demographics, Family PACT provider profiles, and contraceptive use. You may view the data tables and visualizations
here (search term Family PACT). OFP will continue to update the open data portal with new datasets.
OFP Contact Information
Phone: (916) 650-0414
Fax: (916) 440-5634
Email:
FamilyPACT@dhcs.ca.gov
Mailing:
Department of Health Care Services
Office of Family Planning
P.O. Box 997413, MS Code 8400
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413
On-line support and resources to Family PACT providers, other service providers, and clients can be accessed on the
Family Pact website.
Family Planning Stakeholder Meetings
