The 2018 General Assembly appropriated $3M the first and second years from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant to establish a two-year pilot program to expand access to hormonal long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) that delay or prevent ovulation. The Virginia LARC Initiative offers free hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants to women whose income is below 250 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Launched in 2018, this two-year pilot program is designed to prevent unintended pregnancies and improve maternal and child health outcomes. This report includes data about the LARC Initiative from July 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020, and also includes operational summary information that may extend past this reporting period. Highlights include:

• The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) released Requests for Applications (RFAs) to health providers on July 19, 2018, and May 8, 2019;

• VDH initiated contracts with twelve qualified health providers on October 1, 2018, and six additional providers on August 1, 2019;

• VDH developed a data system to collect and monitor program impact; and

• VDH provided funding for 2,902 patient encounters.

Given the positive public health impact of making family planning services available to patients regardless of ability to pay, VDH anticipates that the Virginia LARC Initiative will achieve positive health outcomes. To demonstrate this, VDH will monitor both patient-level and aggregate-level data as the program progresses and post-project completion.