Family Planning Council of Iowa

03/23/2026

03/17/2026

Looking for a chance to expand your knowledge of reproductive healthcare while connecting with experts in your field?

You're in luck!

Our Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare Conference is next Wednesday and registration closes tomorrow, so there's still time to register to attend! We have a fantastic lineup of speakers who will be discussing a wide range of topics such as maternal mental health, s*xual pleasure, and more.

Before you grab some corned beef and start celebrating, make sure to check out our conference webpage to learn more, view our agenda, and register: fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/17/2026

Are you signed up for the Iowa Public Health Association’s Public Health Conference of Iowa on April 8-9? 🤔 Don’t miss Tara and Amy’s session on innovative approaches to increasing access to reproductive healthcare! 💜

03/17/2026

Our community screening of Preconceived at The Varsity Cinema is in one week!

Purchase your tickets now to watch this incredible documentary about the rise of the crisis pregnancy center industry in America. Stay tuned after the movie for a conversation with Mika Matsuno from Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch.

Want to learn more about the movie? Check out www.preconceivedfilm.com/

Like, share, and repost so everyone in your community has the chance to attend!

Tickets: varsitydesmoines.com/movies/preconceived/

03/13/2026

Our closing session will feature George Walton, MPH, MLS (ASCP)CM. He will give an update on STI trends in Iowa and discuss best practices and successful public health initiatives.

Register for our conference to attend this and all the other amazing sessions we've explored this week!

fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/12/2026

Our afternoon breakout sessions will cover maternal mental health, how pain during s*x can impact pleasure, and provide guidance for installing a harm reduction vending machine in your community.

Brittney Haskins will address perinatal mental health issues and provide attendees with tools and strategies they can use in their practice.

Cora Schuhmacher, PsyD & Katie Bewyer Albrecht, PT will tackle both the psychological and the physical aspects of painful s*x and give attendees advice on how to navigate treatment.

Addie Olson, Juliann Van Liew, MPH, and Amy Zine will discuss the process of installing a harm reduction vending machine and offer insights gained from their experience running a harm reduction vending machine program.

Register for our conference to attend one of these breakout sessions and stay tuned for more information on our final session!

fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/11/2026

Our afternoon session will feature Claire Mraz and Tara Shochet, PhD, MPH. They will analyze the positive impact the state family planning program can have on both clinics and patients and discuss eligibility, enrollment, and some exciting updates to the program.

Register for our conference to attend this session and stay tuned for a closer look at the rest of our agenda!

fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/10/2026

Our morning breakout sessions will cover motivational interviewing, gynecological concerns, and how to use social media in a positive way.

Abbie Coniglio, MS will discuss how to use motivational interviewing techniques to encourage positive behavioral changes in patients.

Amy Bingaman, MD will dive into common gynecological complaints patients experience throughout their lives and discuss diagnosis and treatment options.

Liz Fleming, MBA will follow up her topic in the morning plenary by teaching attendees best practices for using social media to promote evidence-based information.

Register for our conference to attend one of these amazing breakout sessions and stay tuned for a closer look at the rest of our agenda!

fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/09/2026

Our conference is just two weeks away, so we wanted to take a moment and share a sneak peak of what you can expect from our sessions.

Our first plenary features Liz Fleming, MBA, Elizabeth Jones, MPA, and Mika Matsuno. They will analyze different vehicles for reproductive healthcare mis- and dis-information such as restorative reproductive medicine, crisis pregnancy centers, and harmful social media content.

Register for our conference to attend this session and stay tuned for a closer look at the rest of our agenda!
fpcouncil.org/2026-conference/

03/07/2026

We are so excited for the screening of Preconceived, a documentary about unlicensed "crisis pregnancy centers" in America, at Varsity Cinema on March 24th at 6:30pm!

Mika Matsuno, Director of Research & Strategy at the Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch, will discuss her work monitoring the CPC industry in America after the movie, with an opportunity for Q&A.

This is going to be such a special event, so make sure to head to Varsity Cinema's website and get your tickets!
varsitydesmoines.com/movies/preconceived/

03/05/2026

This week, staff from FPCI and our network of clinics attended the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association National Conference in Washington, DC! We enjoyed training sessions on a variety of topics, learning from experts in the field, and networking with friends and colleagues.

Tracy and Allison had the opportunity to meet with Iowa legislators on Capitol Hill as well. We discussed the Title X-funded health centers in Iowa that provide a range of essential preventive services, including cancer screenings, STI prevention, HIV services, contraceptive care and counseling, basic infertility services, and more in our local communities. Millions of people with low or no incomes depend on this care.