Women in Community Colleges Take the Mic

There is a growing need among women on the campuses of community colleges in
Texas.  Students have expressed an outcry for the lack of accessibility to contraception and the need faced by them on community college campuses.  The most common barriers to the lack of accessibility to an effective form of birth control, are linked to cost and lack of insurance. According to a new study from the Texas Policy Evaluation Project (TxPEP), 69% of students reported they wanted to use a more effective method and would use it if they could afford it or had access to insurance that covered it. Of the women surveyed in this study, an estimated 41% experienced a lack of reproductive health care. The absence of effective birth control use, cost, lack of insurance, and other factors have shown to impact students academically. Without access to reproductive health resources, students are more at risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. Students who experience an unplanned pregnancy while in college are 65% more likely to drop out of school.

Healthy Future’s BAE-B-SAFE project works to support educational success and increase graduation rates among community college students by equipping students with information and skills to reduce unplanned pregnancies. This program prioritizes increasing access to contraception and reproductive healthcare for students on the campuses of Palo Alto, St. Philip’s, and San Antonio Colleges. Healthy Future’s BAE-B-SAFE will continue to support and work toward breaking down the barriers for women on community colleges to further provide access to the most effective methods and reproductive health services.

HFTX Staff