Our Programs
HEALTH PROGRAMS
FCFA SEXUAL HEALTH PROGRAM
Our newly launched sexual health clinic in Ellicott City aims to improve the sexual health and well-being of uninsured and under-insured clients served by providing free access to education, testing, immunizations, contraception, and the prevention and treatment of HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. We are a community clinic with CLIA certification for waived testing.
STI Stats in Howard County, Maryland
Did you know that recent data from the Maryland Department of Health have shown increasing rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in Howard County, Maryland?
In 2016, Howard County chlamydia and gonorrhea rates were the highest they have been in 10 years. Chlamydia rates increased more than 300% from 62 (1996) to 271 (2016). Gonorrhea rates increased 13% during the same period.
HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM
We offer free rapid HIV/HCV Testing, linkage to HIV medical care and other wrap-around services.The FCFA "Connect 2 PrEP Program" links individuals at high-risk for HIV acquisition to partners offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) within Maryland. We also provide education and resources on HIV and STI prevention.Click on this link by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control to learn more about PrEP. Additionally, if you are looking for a PrEP provider in Maryland, click here to get more information.
HEALTH EDUCATION & PROMOTION
At FCFA, one of our priorities is to promote the health and wellness of our neighboring communities. Hence, we partner with many organizations and higher educational institutions including The Howard County Health Department, Amerigroup, The Hill Church, United Healthcare, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Walden University, Grand Canyon University, Walden University and Morgan State University to hold health fair events across Maryland several times each year. Some of our activities include health education, smoking cessation, blood pressure screening and consultation, vaccinations against influenza and COVID-19, STI counseling, Narcan training and distribution, safe medication disposal, other harm reduction services, and diabetes prevention program. Click here to learn more about FCFA's P-CAT program.
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AND SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS INITIATIVE
We EDUCATE adolescents and adults on proper menstrual hygiene and sexual health, and PROVIDE needed sanitary kits, educational resources and referrals to safe and effective contraceptive services.
The FCFA Menstrual Hygiene and Sexual Health Program aims to address and dismantle stigma, harmful norms, and socio-cultural practices surrounding menstruation to improve girls, women, and others who menstruate’s experiences of menstruation and to enable gender equality. The program also strives to increase awareness among adolescents about sexual health and wellness.
MENSTRUAL POVERTY: Girls in rural and poor urban communities and humanitarian crisis settings are less likely to be able to access and/or use menstrual products to manage menstruation, and often lack access to soap, safe water and functional and secure toilets/latrines with mechanisms for private disposal of used menstrual products— (Plesons et al., 2021).
These challenges have immediate and longer-term consequences for girls in relation to their confidence and self-efficacy, their ability to participate in day-to-day activities such as education and employment, and their health and wellbeing.
ADOLESCENCE: Adolescents are the future generation. Unfortunately, adolescence is a vulnerable age for susceptibility to many health issues such as reproductive tract infections due to improper menstrual hygiene, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), unexpected pregnancies from the lack of awareness about contraceptive practices, and no proper guidance about sexual health (Mamilla & Goundla, 2019).
OUR APPROACH: We partner with local organizations in rural Sub-Saharan African to promote the menstrual health and hygiene of adolescent girls and solve menstrual poverty through a deliberate approach.
THE 2021 FUND-A-PAD OUTREACH
ABUJA, NIGERIA
The 2021 #fundapadinitiative was a huge success as we unveiled the menstrual kits at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Abuja. In partnership with SWAG and local stakeholders in Nigeria, we provided education (in Hausa and English Language) to young girls and women on the benefits, use, and proper disposal of sanitary pads. Each of the 200 individuals received free menstrual kits containing soap and sanitary pads that would last for approximately 5-6 months. Additionally, they were provided free lunch and drinks through FCFA’s Meals For Kidz Initiative.
