A first look at Upstream trainings in Washington

As part of our goal to improve contraceptive care across Washington State, Upstream is excited to share that training events are underway!

This summer, we delivered full-day training events in Spokane, Oakville, Goldendale, Bellingham, and Port Townsend for a diverse group of health centers focused on providing high-quality, patient-centered care: Community Health Association of Spokane, Klickitat Valley Health, Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center, Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood, and Jefferson County Public Health.

The results have been outstanding:

We take pride in our engaging and energizing trainings. But it’s the early impact stories immediately following the trainings that underscore our opportunity to improve care for all patients:

A patient came in for a prescription refill. The Medical Assistant who checked her in had completed Upstream training just days before and was able to engage the patient with a pregnancy intention screening question. That sparked a conversation in which the patient revealed that she had stopped taking the birth control pill a few weeks ago because remembering to take a pill every day was difficult for her, but she did not want to become pregnant. The patient was offered information about all contraceptive options, and they left the clinic that same day with a form of contraception to better meet their needs.”

– Annie, Klickitat Valley Health, ARNP

Although the training and quality improvement work has just begun in Washington, more patients are now able to choose the contraceptive method that works best for them.

If you are interested in partnering with Upstream Washington, please contact wa@upstream.org. Our comprehensive, evidence-based training and technical assistance program is provided at no-cost.

We hope you had a great summer and appreciate your continued support for expanding contraceptive access in Washington.

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