A review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), under the Program Assessment and Rating Tool (PART) process, was conducted for the FY 2007 budget period and the program received a rating of Moderately Effective. The program developed three long-term measures that are also reported on annually. These measures focus on:
- increasing the number of unintended pregnancies averted by providing Title X family planning services, with priority for services to low-income individuals;
- reducing infertility among women attending family planning clinics by identifying chlamydia infection through screening of females ages 15-24; and
- reducing invasive cervical cancer among women attending family planning clinics by providing Pap tests according to nationally recognized standards of care.
The program's efficiency measure is to maintain the actual cost per client below the medical care inflation rate.
As a result of the PART evaluation, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) determined that the program was strong in its overall purpose, design and management, but performance goals for some key program activities were not yet established. In addition, OMB found that although several focused evaluations of the Family Planning Program had been completed, no broad-based, independent evaluation of sufficient quality and scope had been carried out in recent years. As a result of the PART and discussions with OMB, OFP committed to taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:
- Develop performance goals for key program activities; and
- Plan for an independent evaluation of sufficient quality and scope, conducted at the Federal level that will demonstrate the overall impact of the program.
Since the initial PART evaluation, the program has successfully developed, implemented and established targets for all annual and long-term performance goals, including its efficiency measure. In an effort to further comply with OMB's findings, a contract has recently been initiated with the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine to conduct a comprehensive and independent evaluation of the program that is broad in scope and quality. It is proposed that this evaluation will include an examination of Title X administration, management, and whether Title X objectives and operational requirements meet the needs and have adapted to ongoing changes in technology, medical practice, and other related influences that have evolved since the program's creation in 1970.
For up to date information on each of these measures, please visit PART Web.
