Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a new multimillion-dollar program on Wednesday, offering free birth control to all residents of the state. The initiative, titled “Take Control of Your Birth Control,” will provide Michiganders with access to condoms, over-the-counter oral contraceptives, and emergency contraception starting in November, while supplies last.
The program is being managed by Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services, which received $5.6 million in taxpayer funding to expand family planning services, as outlined in the state’s budget.
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“Everyone, no matter how much money they make, deserves to make their own decisions about their own reproductive health and future,” Whitmer said in the press release. “With our family planning initiative, ‘Take Control of Your Birth Control,’ we are building on our work to protect reproductive freedom for all Michiganders. By expanding access to essential family planning tools, we are underscoring our commitment to ensuring Michiganders, along with their families and trusted health care providers, can make their own decisions about their own bodies and lives.”
This announcement comes shortly after the Biden-Harris administration called on private insurance companies to cover the cost of over-the-counter birth control through the Affordable Care Act. Whitmer praised the move on social media platform X while announcing Michigan’s new program.
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Governor Whitmer has been a strong advocate for reproductive rights, including abortion access. In 2022, she sued state prosecutors in an effort to protect abortion rights, and that November, Michigan voters passed a constitutional amendment legalizing abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The amendment also prohibits penalizing doctors who perform abortions.
The “Take Control of Your Birth Control” initiative builds on Whitmer’s ongoing efforts to protect reproductive health and provide greater access to family planning services across Michigan.
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