What is the Partners in Contraceptive Choice and Knowledge (PICCK) program?

PICCK is an innovative clinical and public health program designed to promote contraceptive choice and effective contraceptive counseling across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

PICCK partners with hospitals and their affiliated practices and health centers to provide customized programming as well as long-term technical assistance to onsite Champions.

PICCK offers statewide and national programming that is free and available to all, including a monthly webinar series for CME credit, an Annual Meeting for CME/CNE credit, a media inclusivity consultation service, a biannual newsletter, and a website with all of our materials.


Why is PICCK important?

PICCK seeks to help achieve equity in contraception access and pregnancy outcomes in MA through:

1) a reduction in the approximately 50,000 annual unplanned pregnancies in MA, 2) improvement in outcomes for parents and infants by reducing the risks associated with unplanned and rapid repeat pregnancies, and 3) improved quality of care tailored to the needs of marginalized and vulnerable MA residents. PICCK’s data will be shared throughout the Commonwealth and the country to inform efforts to improve health equity.


What services does PICCK provide to partners?

The PICCK program provides: 1) education, training, and technical assistance (TA) for clinicians and staff; 2) practice support for issues related to workflow, pharmacy, and billing; 3) materials to support patient outreach and education; 4) a media inclusivity consultation service; and 5) sustainability planning. Topics include:

- Postpartum contraception, including immediate postpartum LARC (long-acting reversible
       contraception)
- Improved access to copper IUD and ulipristal acetate for emergency contraception
- Pregnancy intention and contraceptive needs interventions for clinics (PICNIC)
- Same-day LARC provision
- Shared decision-making approaches to contraceptive counseling
- Social determinants of health and their role in contraceptive care

The training and TA provided to partners may include: grand rounds, on-site demonstrations, webinars, web based resources, and email and telephone consultations. The PICCK team works with Champions at each hospital to design a specific intervention plan that meets their needs.


Who may participate in the PICCK program?

All birth hospitals in MA are invited to participate in PICCK. This includes hospital services such as labor and delivery and postpartum units; ambulatory practices in OB/GYN, primary care, family medicine, emergency medicine, and adolescent medicine affiliated with hospitals; and hospitals’ licensed and affiliated community health centers. Our statewide and national programming welcomes all people interested in learning more about contraceptive care services.


How can I learn more about PICCK?

For more information: visit www.PICCK.org, view our “About Video” here: https://picck.org/about/, or contact PICCK here: https://picck.org/about/contact/. If you would like to receive resources directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our mailing list here: https://picck.org/about/contact/.