TAKE CHARGE is a government program that provies free family planning and pregnancy prevention services to low-income residents of Washington State. The program expands Medicaid coverage for family planning services to individuals whose income is 200% or lower than the federal poverty level (FPL). By reducing the prevalence of unintended pregnancies, the goal of TAKE CHARGE is to improve public health while reducing Federal and State Medicaid costs of unplanned pregnancies and their consequences. As of November 2007, there were 200 clinics in Washington providing TAKE CHARGE services. Services Services available to eligible women include family planning counseling, annual examinations and pap smears, prescriptions for FDA-approved birth control methods including emergency contraception, and tubal ligation (sterilization) procedures. Services available to eligible men include FDA-approved over the counter contraceptives (such as male and female condoms and spermicide), annual contraceptive counseling sessions, and vasectomy (sterilization) procedures. Impact The program began in July 2001 and has been utilized by over 400,000 men and women. In September 2006, the Washington Department of Social and Health Services published an evaluation of the program, entitled TAKE CHARGE: Final Evaluation, First Five Years: July 2001-June 2006. According to the report: