The next step in reproductive healthcare access

Just four years ago, A Step Ahead Foundation (ASAF) was founded by Claudia Haltom. After spending 12 years as the attorney for the Shelby County Health Department, and then serving 17 years as a Judicial Magistrate at Shelby County Juvenile Court, Haltom had a clear vision for success in what The Center for Disease Control labeled a “winnable battle” against teen pregnancy. In the bigger picture for the future of our community, the goal is and continues to be to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in Memphis and Shelby County, thereby lessening the poverty of our area.
 
A Step Ahead Foundation differs from similar organizations in that the nonprofit organization provides a call center that schedules appointments for clients, as well as free transportation to the partner clinic closest to them. By doing so, ASAF is removing the geographic and economic barriers for women in Memphis and Shelby County, giving them access to the most effective, and often the most expensive, methods of contraception — all at no cost to them.
 
ASAF is working to increase positive pregnancy outcomes through birth spacing, lower infant mortality and improved family life. ASAF strives to decrease poverty by reducing the economic strain of unintended pregnancies and by encouraging career opportunities before childbirth.
 
“We provide a means for women to plan her life by planning her children through education and long-acting, reversible contraception (LARC),” explained Haltom.
 
The targeted outcomes include:
 • increased access to health education programs
 • increased access to quality health care
 • increased opportunities to achieve personal educational goals
 • increased independence for individuals and families
 • and ultimately, community stabilization
 
Public awareness of LARCs is growing exponentially. Just a few years ago, the term was rarely heard. Now more area medical providers, such as obstetricians and pediatricians, are mentioning LARCs first and making them more readily available because of the higher level of effectiveness. The improved ease of insertion has contributed to the increase in requests for the long-acting, reversible methods, too.
 
“The use of LARCs has increased significantly in the last four years in Shelby County,” said CEO and founder Claudia Haltom. “Conversely, teenage pregnancy has declined. The impact has huge social and economic ramifications. When ASAF was founded in 2011, the majority of the people we spoke to tended to focus on the term ‘contraception.’ Now they are making the connection between unintended pregnancies and our local level of poverty.”
 
Additionally, ASAF is not only gaining the public’s awareness, but they are gaining a larger base of support, with invitations to speak at various events, community centers, health fairs, and churches. ASAF outreach representatives are regularly staffing tables at MIFA, the Department of Human Services, Maximus Child Support offices and other locations.
 
As A Step Ahead Foundation moves into its next phase of organizational growth, it is widening its reach within the community. If you are interested in being a volunteer for A Step Ahead Foundation, visit Volunteer Memphis to see a list of available opportunities.