The Office of Population Affairs Clearinghouse, formerly known as the Family Life Information Exchange (FLIE), is sponsored by the Office of Population Affairs, Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services. The OPA Clearinghouse collects, develops, and distributes information on family planning, adolescent pregnancy, abstinence, adoption, reproductive health care, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS.

The primary target audience of the Clearinghouse is Title X and Title XX grantees. Clinics funded through Title X operate comprehensive family planning services. Title XX funds both research and demonstration projects addressing the problems of adolescent sexual behavior and pregnancy. The Clearinghouse also provides information to health and human service organizations, governmental agencies, family planning service providers, educators, trainers, religious groups, and consumers throughout the United States.

The OPA Clearinghouse provides a variety of information services that are listed below.

• Publication Distribution:

  The major clearinghouse activity is the distribution of single copies and bulk quantities of Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) produced patient and professional education materials. All publications are free of charge in limited quantities and include:

  • Patient and education pamphlets on such topics as abstinence, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, preconception planning, cancer of the cervix, and the pap smear;
  • Research and statistics on adolescent pregnancy and adoption;
  • Informed consent forms for sterilization in both English and Spanish;
  • Professional guidebook on adoption;
  • Spanish translations of selected patient education publications; and
  • Professional materials for improvement of educational and service components of family planning.
  
  
• Adolescent Family Life (AFL) Project Summaries:

  The AFL program focuses on developing strategies to address the problems of out-of-wedlock teen sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Specific documents include:
  

  • Program and evaluation summaries of demonstration projects;
  • Summaries of adolescent family life prevention curricula; and
  • Summaries of research projects on adolescent sexual behavior, adoption, adolescent pregnancy, and parenting.
  
  

• Directory:

  To facilitate communication among family planning workers, the OPA Clearinghouse produces a directory of family planning grantees, delegates, and clinics supported by the Office of Population Affairs. The directory is arranged by region, state, and city, and contains the names and addresses of these grantees, delegates, and clinics.
  
  

• Referrals:

  The general public may call for referrals to local family planning clinics. The Clearinghouse also maintains a limited list of referral sources on related topics and organizations. When appropriate, requesters are referred to other information resources.
  
  

• Mailing Lists:

  The OPA Clearinghouse maintains mailing lists of Title X and Title XX funded grantees and service providers. When new publications are developed, the Clearinghouse coordinates mass mailings in which the new materials are sent to Title X and Title XX programs.

The Office of Population Affairs Clearinghouse is available to you as a resource in the provision of comprehensive family planning, adolescent pregnancy, and adoption services in your community. Your questions and comments regarding our services are always welcome.

The OPA Clearinghouse is open Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. During this time, an Information Specialist will be available to personally take your call. A voice mail system is set up to receive calls after hours. Written inquiries and orders should be addressed to:
    OPA Clearinghouse
    P.O. Box 30686
    Bethesda, MD 20824-0686