Health department closes its Broward County family planning clinic

The Florida Department of Health has closed its longtime family planning clinic in Fort Lauderdale.

The closing  came on the same day — on May 1 — that the need for family planning services such as birth control became more urgent with Florida’s six-week abortion ban taking effect.

The 900 NW 31st Ave. clinic near the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop provided access to contraception information and supplies, pregnancy testing and counseling, yearly exams, STD counseling, and basic infertility services using federal funds known as Title X Service Grants. It had been known as the Edgar Mills Health Center and had been the only health department location specifically for birth control.

“The Department simply transitioned the program to a new model that partners with both the North Broward Hospital District and Broward Community and Family Health Center.,” said Florida Department of Health press secretary Jae Williams. “This process began back in August 2023.”

Now, BCOM Health will offer family planning services at its four clinics in Broward County, and Broward HealthPoint will offer them at its Lauderdale Lakes Health Center. BCOM Health is a group of federally funded nonprofit health centers treating underserved populations. They are located in Lauderhill, West Park, Pompano Beach and Hollywood. Florida receives a federal grant for Title X family planning services and will redirect the money from its Fort Lauderdale clinic to provide family planning at those health centers.

“Any patient who wants family planning would call and make an appointment, and if they already are here getting primary care, now they can access those services too,” said Rosalyn Frazier, CEO of BCOM Health. “We are here to help the community.”

Patients who want a tubal ligation or vasectomy will be referred to outside doctors, Frazier said.

The Florida Title X Family Planning Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Population Affairs, offers a broad range of family planning and related preventive health services to low-income and uninsured individuals, including teens, in all 67 counties through the local county health departments or contracted agencies.

According to a 2020 Department of Health report, the largest users of its family planning services are between ages 20 and 29. In addition, the majority of users served by the program in Florida were below or at 100% of the poverty level.

Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.