Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Jenny Matthews, Executive Director of A Step Ahead Foundation of Middle Tennessee, who discusses the nonprofit organization’s 10-year anniversary and mission to prevent unplanned pregnancies by providing education and access to free long-acting reversible contraception. Jenny explains how the foundation has served nearly 7,000 clients by breaking down barriers like cost and transportation through partnerships with over 120 community organizations and medical clinics, offering services like a well woman exam, STI testing, the cost of the device, and removal at any time. She highlights common questions from clients about eligibility and menstrual cycles, shares success metrics showing 96% of clients reporting decreased stress and increased happiness, and describes how the organization’s educational outreach is particularly valuable in rural communities. Jenny outlines multiple ways the community can support their work through financial donations, volunteer opportunities at health fairs, sharing resources with organizations, and helping spread awareness about their services.
Summary
Jenny Matthews, Executive Director of A Step Ahead Foundation of Middle Tennessee, discusses the organization’s 10-year anniversary and its mission to provide long-term contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancies across 29 counties. The foundation has served nearly 7,000 clients with contraception options including IUDs, hormonal and non-hormonal methods, and arm implants, aiming to eliminate cost and transportation barriers. Clients can contact the call center Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 4 PM to be connected with partner clinics within 2-3 weeks, with the foundation acting as the payer of last resort for costs not covered by insurance.
Jenny discusses their partnership approach, explaining they provide two types of education: clinical services at medical appointments and community outreach through over 120 partners in prevention. The clinical services include well woman visits, STI testing, Pap tests, device insertion and removal, while the community education reaches various settings including job training programs, substance use recovery centers, and universities. Jenny notes that their community education partners view A Step Ahead Foundation’s services as supportive of their work and helping prevent plans from being derailed by unplanned pregnancies.
Jenny discusses common questions received regarding contraception options, particularly about IUDs and implants for women who haven’t had children yet. She explains that these methods can be used before having children and addresses misconceptions about menstrual cycles stopping, clarifying that this is healthy when using contraception.
Jenny explains the importance of contraception work at both micro and macro levels. At the micro level, she noted that 96% of clients reported decreased stress and increased happiness due to contraception, allowing women to focus on education and careers while spacing pregnancies. At the macro level, she described positive community outcomes, including increased community involvement and independence for women. She also highlighted that 80% of the women served are unwed, indicating a significant need for pre-marital contraception services.
Jenny discusses the organization’s work serving both urban and rural communities, noting that while most clients are in urban areas, there has been a 7% increase in serving rural populations over the past two years. She explains that education in rural communities is particularly valuable as these areas often have fewer resources and less frequent conversations about contraception. The organization is working to expand clinical partnerships in rural areas despite access challenges, with a goal of serving people closer to where they live or study.
Jenny discusses various ways the community can support their organization’s efforts, including financial donations, community education, and providing resource guides to clients. She mentioned that it costs approximately $250 to serve one client with contraception without insurance, highlighting the impact of donations. Volunteer opportunities, such as tabling at community events, are also mentioned as a way for people to get involved, especially during the summer months.
Jenny highlights the apolitical nature of their services, which receives broad community support. She explains that they aim to complement rather than replace parent-child conversations, offering education through engaging activities like bingo while maintaining transparency with parents. When asked about future goals, Jenny expressed a desire to expand their services to reach more people in need, particularly in rural areas, while maintaining their commitment to never turning anyone away due to cost barriers.
Visit https://www.astepaheadmiddletn.org to learn more and get involved.
