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  • Title: "Three for Free" program attributes success to anonymity, simplicity.
    Journal: Contracept Technol Update; 1989 Apr; 10(4):50-3. PubMed ID: 12342201.
    Abstract:
    The "Three for Free" program, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Division of Family Planning in Baltimore, provides free condoms to 165 agencies at more than 300 sites in all Maryland counties and the city of Baltimore. It has provided the condoms for 6 years. The program emphasizes simplicity. Individual distributors decide how they will provide the condoms through the family planning office, yet they are given the following specific instructions about distribution: condoms must be made available for free; condom instructions must be made available in individual bags containing the condoms; no names or other information should be required of clients who receive the condoms; and no registration, counseling, demonstration, or discussion should be required of clients. Quarterly reports of how many condoms were picked up at each site are essential. The distributors are encouraged to provide at least 2 different quantities of condoms -- 3 for clients who want to keep condoms on hand and more (6, 10, 12, 15) for clients who use them regularly. Currently, most sponsors are sent condoms in boxes of 1000. Once recruited, agencies are sent an information packet, which includes an agreement form. The annual costs for the program are estimated to be about $718/sponsor and $292/site. There are both implicit problems in the distribution system, e.g., clients may take the condoms and sell them on the street, and in administration of the program, e.g., sponsors distributing large numbers of condoms may not have time to fill bags with condoms and place pamphlets in the bags.
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