Elements of Family Planning Success

The Balanced Counseling Strategy (BCS) was developed by the Population Council to improve client–provider interaction in family planning provision. The process, tested and refined in several countries, involves a set of steps to determine the method that best suits the client according to her/his preferences and reproductive health intentions. The BCS toolkit includes a brief user’s guide, a training manual, and three job aids or memory tools for use by the provider and client: (1) an algorithm; (2) palm-sized method cards with basic information about 16 family planning method options; and (3) method brochures for clients with more detailed information for the provider to use during the consultation and to give to the client at the end of the session. The BCS toolkit incorporates the latest international family planning norms and guidance as recommended by the World Health Organization, including the 2004 Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use and the 2007 Family Planning Global Handbook.

The approach is practical, low-cost, and easy to adapt to local contexts. In previous studies, the BCS was adapted to fit the policy environment and method mix in several Latin American settings (Guatemala, Peru). Findings from these studies indicate that the strategy has been extremely effective in improving the quality of care in primary health centers when providers used the three BCS job aids. In a further adaptation, it is being tested for use in settings with high HIV prevalence in Africa (Kenya, South Africa). The toolkit will be available in English, French, and Spanish and includes a CD-ROM with electronic copies of the materials for easy adaptation. For copies, contact frontiers@popcouncil.org