Converge

Converge was co-founded by two Mississippi women with many labels but a shared vision for what could be: what if all people, no matter where they live, whom they love, what they look like, or how much money they have could access family planning care that’s right for them? What if health care providers could increase the quality of family planning care without hurting their financial bottom line?  

NIRH began its partnership with Converge in 2019, shortly after they formed. Converge formed and convened a statewide advisory group to educate federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) on a new policy improving reimbursement rates for LARCs that created a toolkit on how to overcome potential logistical and systems barriers to provision and removal. Converge worked closely with reproductive justice leaders in the state to ensure that patient autonomy and access to the full range of contraceptive care, including LARC removal, were centered in all of their work. 

Converge became the Title X grantee for the state of Mississippi in 2022. That year, NIRH partnered with Converge to secure greater access to contraception through Mississippi’s Medicaid Family Planning Waiver Program, which provides these services to low-income individuals not eligible for Medicaid but leaves many access gaps – especially for those living in the numerous rural parts of the state. Converge also worked towards ensuring that reproductive health care provided within their clinical network was high quality, ethical, evidence-based, and centered around the patient’s needs.  

NIRH also supported Converge’s creation of the Patient Experience Council (PXF), composed of Mississipians who used Medicaid for reproductive and sexual health care. PXC members conducted site visits at Title X Clinics, provided input and guidance on Converge’s telehealth work, participated in legislative work groups on children and families, raised awareness of Converge’s services through social media, and more.