Since 2013, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) have worked collaboratively to improve birth outcomes. This coordinated effort builds on previous efforts, including Healthy Texas Babies, and the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force. One component of this effort is aimed at providing opportunities to reduce unintended pregnancies, and allow Texans to determine for themselves the best way and time to grow their families.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) devices (i.e., the intrauterine device [IUD] and subdermal contraceptive device) offer a reversible method of contraception with very high real-world effectiveness, ease of use, and high rates of user satisfaction and method continuation. Texas has made improving access to LARCs a priority.
The Texas LARC Toolkit is aimed at helping providers increase the availability of LARCs to all Texas women. The Toolkit also offers suggestions and resources to support implementation of a policy to make LARCs available to women throughout their reproductive life cycle, including prior to the first pregnancy, during the postpartum period (both during the hospital stay and at the postpartum visit), and whenever family planning services are received.