What Services are Covered by Family PACT

A black woman doctor wearing blue scrubs and a stethoscope smiles. Her colleagues are standing behind her, out of the camera's focus.

What services are covered by Family PACT?

Family PACT is a program that provides family planning and related services to people who qualify. If you are eligible for Family PACT, you can receive family planning services for free. Family PACT covers the following services:

  • Various birth control methods, including long-acting methods, emergency contraception and sterilization
  • Family planning counseling and education
  • Sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing & treatment
  • HIV testing
  • Cervical cancer screening
  • Limited fertility services

Family PACT does not cover:

  • Emergency room visits, inpatient services or services for pregnant women. Coverage for these services may be available through Medi-Cal.
  • You may be able to receive breast health services through Every Woman Counts
  • Health-care needs not related to family planning. You may be eligible for other health coverage through Covered California. Watch the video to learn more.

Which birth control method is right for me?

One of the best ways to prevent pregnancy is to use an effective birth control method. There are many methods available through the Family PACT program. Most birth control methods are safe for most people. Each gives you a different level of protection against pregnancy and STDs.

Not sure which method is right for you? Use this quiz to help you decide, and learn more about covered birth control methods.

How do I prevent sexually transmitted diseases?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are diseases passed between people when they have sexual contact. Some STDs can be passed without sex by kissing, touching, or rubbing the parts of the body parts where disease is present.

STDs are very common. But in many cases STDs do not cause symptoms so people don’t know they have one. The most common STDs can be treated easily and cured.  Other STDs cannot be cured but symptoms can be managed.

Condoms and female condoms, if used correctly, provide very good protection against STDs. But they must be used correctly every time you have sex. In some rare cases, you can still get STDs, even when you use a condom. The only way to prevent STDs is to abstain from oral, anal, and vaginal contact with a person who has one.

Four rolled up condoms in a row, one orange, one teal, one yellow, and one red
A doctor wearing white gloves prepares to draw blood from her patient's arm

What are the symptoms of STDs?

Many STDs do not have any symptoms, and it is common for people to have a STD and not even know it. If you have a STD, symptoms can include:

  • Itching or burning sensation
  • Bumps, ulcers, or sores
  • Discharge from your vagina or penis
  • Pain in your testicles
  • Fever

If you are having sex, getting tested may be the only way to be sure you don’t have an STD. And remember, STDs do not always have symptoms so it’s important to get tested if you are having sex, even if you feel fine. You may want to consider getting tested with your sexual partner(s), if you feel comfortable.

If you do not have an STD, talk with your Family PACT provider about staying healthy and safe.

If you are diagnosed with an STD, your Family PACT provider can talk to you about treatment.

You can learn more about the different types of STDs and how to stay safe here.