| | January Happenings At AccessMatters! |
| The Monthly Recap Happy new year! As we look ahead to 2026, AccessMatters remains committed to protecting, expanding, and enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health care in the new year. |
| | | | | | Program Updates, Trainings, & Events |
|
|
|
|
| | AccessMatters Hosts Adolescent Health Training AccessMatters’ Adolescent Health Initiative hosts Clinic Confidence workshops, bringing together teenagers ages 16-19 from across Philadelphia with sexual health experts to learn what to expect from family planning healthcare visits. During the workshops, attendees learn how to make appointments and advocate for their health needs, including STI testing, contraceptives, and more. During the recent workshop on January 14, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) providers were on-hand to answer any questions about navigating youth healthcare. The next Clinic Confidence workshop will be held on February 18. Register here. |
|
|
| | AccessMatters Hosts Youth Mental Health First Aid Training On January 29, AccessMatters hosted a Youth Mental Health First Aid training. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use challenges facing young people. Participants learned about risk factors and warning signs; information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis and substance use; and a 5-Step Action Plan to help someone developing a mental health or substance use challenge. For more information about upcoming trainings, please email training@accessmatters.org. |
|
|
| | AccessMatters’ President and CEO Ayana Bradshaw Wins Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Award AccessMatters’ President and CEO Ayana Bradshaw won first place in the 2026 Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Award for the category “Thought Leadership and Capacity Building”. The award honors leaders and changemakers in the Philadelphia region working to transform the social services sector. Congratulations, Ayana! Thank you to everyone who voted this year. |
|
|
| | Program Spotlight: Pennsylvania Perinatal Partnership In January, Maternal Health Awareness Day is observed across the country to recognize the people who lose their lives during or after childbirth. AccessMatters honors all who have been impacted by the maternal health crisis across the state and nation. AccessMatters works to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and increase access to essential care through a variety of programs and advocacy initiatives, including the Pennsylvania Perinatal Partnership (PPP). The PPP has been a program of AccessMatters for decades, bringing together experts from across the state to collaborate on education and advocacy initiatives to improve perinatal, postpartum, and infant health and wellbeing. Any professional, organization, or government agency working to protect and support the health and wellbeing of people in Pennsylvania throughout the perinatal and postpartum periods, whose mission and values align with the mission and guiding principles of the PPP and AccessMatters, is eligible for membership. You can learn more about the PPP here. |
|
|
| | Issue Education: Cervical Cancer Awareness Month January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of death among American women. Since the 1970s, the cervical cancer mortality rate has decreased by over 50%, due to increased awareness, screening, and prevention. The best way to prevent cervical cancer, and to catch precancerous cells before they grow, is by getting the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and through regular cervical cancer screenings through HPV tests and pap tests. In Southeastern Pennsylvania, AccessMatters operates the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (PA-BCCEDP). Through PA-BCCEDP, you may be eligible for no-cost cervical cancer screenings. For more information about the PA-BCCEDP program visit: accessmatters.org/earlydetection. You can also get the HPV vaccine at low or no-cost through the Title X Family Planning program. To learn more about where you can find low or no-cost cervical cancer screening options through the PA-BCCEDP Program or the Title X Family Planning Program, or to find a health center near you, call AccessMatters’ Information Hotline at 215-935-3300, or text the Hotline at 833-667-3377. |
|
|
| | |
|
| Registration is Now Open! Black Maternal Health Week 2026 Black Maternal Health Week 2026 will be held from April 11-17 with many events throughout the Philadelphia area. As a part of Black Maternal Health Week 2026, AccessMatters in partnership with Oshun Family Center will host Empowering Care, Elevating Voices: A Summit for Maternal Health Justice, on April 13, 2026, from 9am to 3pm at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Community leaders, advocates, providers, and partners will collectively bridge expertise and experience to create healthier births and futures for Black families and communities. Check out featured speakers and register here. Be sure to secure your free spot early. We look forward to seeing you there! |
|
|
| | In January, AccessMatters’ Community Outreach & Information Services team stayed busy by attending community events! In January, AccessMatters’ outreach team began working with the Veterans Multi-Service Center in Philadelphia. Outreach team members tabled at the center to meet visitors and provide public health resources and information. Later in the month, they held an information session and discussion to learn more about the health needs of visitors to the center. Over the next several weeks, the outreach team will continue working with the Veterans Multi-Service Center to provide tailored education and resources to the veteran community. If you have an upcoming event or would like AccessMatters’ Community Outreach and Information Services team to provide community education or information at a table, please contact COIS@accessmatters.org. |
|
|
| | | -
The American Civil Liberties Union has released a statement on their decision to drop a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last spring. The lawsuit was filed after Title X Family Planning grants were withheld from several organizations across the country, including AccessMatters. In January, the lawsuit was dismissed after the remaining withheld grants were distributed. Read the statement here. -
This month, enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies expired after the federal budget failed to pass an extension. As a result, enrollment in ACA-issued insurance plans has plummeted as the cost of coverage rose. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has covered the impact of this policy change on people insured under the Affordable Care Act. -
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) has issued a new tool to help residents identify City resources to treat and prevent HIV. The tool, a resource library on PDPH’s sexual health website, offers information on over 100 city-affiliated sites where resources related to HIV care can be accessed at no cost. The webpage can be found here. -
The Philadelphia Tribune covered recent changes to cervical cancer screening recommendations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has expanded their guidelines for cervical cancer screenings to include self-collected cell samples. A majority of private insurance plans will now cover this form of testing without cost-sharing mechanisms. Read more about the new policy here. |
|
|
| | AccessMatters
100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
215-985-2600 | info@accessmatters.org |
| | |
|
| |
|
|
