Available Clinical Services

Family Planning || Counseling || Pregnancy Testing & Counseling
Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening & Treatment || Cancer Screening || Adolescent/Teen Health || Healthy Teens and Young Adults Projects || Preconception Care || Prenatal Care || Postpartum Care

Locating Clinical Services in Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

Family Planning

We provide information on all options for birth control, from abstinence and fertiity awareness to sterilization. Knowledge about these various methods allows women to choose the method most appropriate for them. It also allows women to actively plan their pregnancy.

Counseling

Counseling is an integral part of every health center visit. At the beginning and end of each visit, women are given individual, confidential counseling by a nurse professional. Each center has numerous brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, and fact sheets about various topics.
We seek to educate all women regarding good general preventive health. This can typically include topics such as proper nutrition, exercise, immunizations, cancer screening, medical problems, preconception health, early pregnancy care, self breast exam and reproductive health.

We hope that through education and knowledge, women can make informed choices about their health. Prevention of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and substance abuse are attainable goals for all women. Through health promotion, women can have healthier physical and mental lifestyles. Follow-up appointment sessions provide the necessary support and reinforcement of previously chosen treatment options.

Pregnancy Testing and Counseling

Women who are late getting their menstrual period or who think they may be pregnant should have a pregnancy test as soon as possible. All our sites offer pregnancy testing with immediate results. Clients who test positive for pregnancy are provided counseling about their options. The importance of good health habits and early prenatal care is stressed. Clients who test negative for pregnancy are counseled and educated about birth control options.

Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening and Treatment

All clients are routinely screened for gonnorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia. Screening is also done for herpes, hepatitis, and other pelvic infections, as indicated. Counseling and testing for HIV (AIDS) is also offered at every visit. Since many of these infections may not have any symptoms, we urge all women and their partners to be tested regularly.

Cancer Screening

Through yearly Pap smears and breast exams, we screen women for cervical and breast cancer. For abnormal Pap smear findings, we make the necessary referrals for colposcopy which can be done at some local health centers or privately. We refer all women for screening mammograms starting at age 40 - or sooner, if the physical exam or family history dictates it.

Adolescent/Teen Health

Many of our clinic sites offer special hours and clinic sessions exclusively for teens. Our teen clients get special attention, in a non-judgemental, confidential atmosphere, regarding sexual decision making, abstinence, contraception and information about general preventive health (such as diet, exercise, immunizations). Under Maryland state law, minors are allowed to receive care for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and family planning without parental consent. However, parental participation and involvement are highly encouraged withall our teen clients.

Healthy Teens and Young Adults Projects

The Healthy Teens and Young Adults Project in Baltimore City and Prince George's County is a project designed to provide a new, nontraditional approach to teen health. Comprehensive care, including sports physicals as well as pregnancy testing and birth control couseling are offered. Most services are free or low cost. One unique aspect is the availability of teen volunteers who help out with general support and information for other teens. Males are not only welcome, they are encouraged to take an active part in all aspects of education, counseling and care.

Preconception Care

All our health centers offer preconception health - general health tips women should know about before they get pregnant. Since unintended pregnancies happen to the majority of women and since preconception care offers important general health information, ALL women should avail themselves of the opportunity to receive information about this important area. It is the only way to help prevent some birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. It is an important way to simply get healthy.

Prenatal Care

Call your health center to see if they offer prenatal care. You can receive general health information for pregnancy as well as referral for other programs such as the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program which provides nutrition services for women and children. The Pregnant Women and Children (PWC) program provides prenatal care to eligible women; the Family Planning Program ( with its Family Planning Card - a medical assistance card) provides contraceptive services - including sterilization- for 5 years after delivery to eligible women. Many other social services are also available to women during pregnancy.

Postpartum Care

We offer checkups for women 3 - 6 weeks after delivery. The visit provides support and counseling for new mothers regarding infant care, contraceptve choices, and maternal adjustments both mentally and physically to her new family.

Other

Routine care for urinary tract infections, vaginal infections and other gynecologic disorders are provided. We will make referrals for all medical problems or screenings which we do not do on site. These referrals are confidential, affordable, and accessible.

Family Health Administration

SITE LINKS

UNIT LINKS

Available Clinical Services

Prenatal Care

Other

Family Planning
	We provide information on all options for birth control, from abstinence and fertiity awareness to sterilization. Knowledge about these various methods allows women to choose the method most appropriate for them. It also allows women to actively plan their pregnancy.

Counseling
	Counseling is an integral part of every health center visit. At the beginning and end of each visit, women are given individual, confidential counseling by a nurse professional. Each center has numerous brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, and fact sheets about various topics. We seek to educate all women regarding good general preventive health. This can typically include topics such as proper nutrition, exercise, immunizations, cancer screening, medical problems, preconception health, early pregnancy care, self breast exam and reproductive health. We hope that through education and knowledge, women can make informed choices about their health. Prevention of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and substance abuse are attainable goals for all women. Through health promotion, women can have healthier physical and mental lifestyles. Follow-up appointment sessions provide the necessary support and reinforcement of previously chosen treatment options.

Pregnancy Testing and Counseling
	Women who are late getting their menstrual period or who think they may be pregnant should have a pregnancy test as soon as possible. All our sites offer pregnancy testing with immediate results. Clients who test positive for pregnancy are provided counseling about their options. The importance of good health habits and early prenatal care is stressed. Clients who test negative for pregnancy are counseled and educated about birth control options.

Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening and Treatment
	All clients are routinely screened for gonnorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia. Screening is also done for herpes, hepatitis, and other pelvic infections, as indicated. Counseling and testing for HIV (AIDS) is also offered at every visit. Since many of these infections may not have any symptoms, we urge all women and their partners to be tested regularly.

Cancer Screening
	Through yearly Pap smears and breast exams, we screen women for cervical and breast cancer. For abnormal Pap smear findings, we make the necessary referrals for colposcopy which can be done at some local health centers or privately. We refer all women for screening mammograms starting at age 40 - or sooner, if the physical exam or family history dictates it.

Adolescent/Teen Health
	Many of our clinic sites offer special hours and clinic sessions exclusively for teens. Our teen clients get special attention, in a non-judgemental, confidential atmosphere, regarding sexual decision making, abstinence, contraception and information about general preventive health (such as diet, exercise, immunizations). Under Maryland state law, minors are allowed to receive care for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and family planning without parental consent. However, parental participation and involvement are highly encouraged withall our teen clients.

Healthy Teens and Young Adults Projects
	The Healthy Teens and Young Adults Project in Baltimore City and Prince George's County is a project designed to provide a new, nontraditional approach to teen health. Comprehensive care, including sports physicals as well as pregnancy testing and birth control couseling are offered. Most services are free or low cost. One unique aspect is the availability of teen volunteers who help out with general support and information for other teens. Males are not only welcome, they are encouraged to take an active part in all aspects of education, counseling and care.

Preconception Care
	All our health centers offer preconception health - general health tips women should know about before they get pregnant. Since unintended pregnancies happen to the majority of women and since preconception care offers important general health information, ALL women should avail themselves of the opportunity to receive information about this important area. It is the only way to help prevent some birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. It is an important way to simply get healthy.
Prenatal Care
	Call your health center to see if they offer prenatal care. You can receive general health information for pregnancy as well as referral for other programs such as the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program which provides nutrition services for women and children. The Pregnant Women and Children (PWC) program provides prenatal care to eligible women; the Family Planning Program ( with its Family Planning Card - a medical assistance card) provides contraceptive services - including sterilization- for 5 years after delivery to eligible women. Many other social services are also available to women during pregnancy.

Postpartum Care
	We offer checkups for women 3 - 6 weeks after delivery. The visit provides support and counseling for new mothers regarding infant care, contraceptve choices, and maternal adjustments both mentally and physically to her new family.

Other
	Routine care for urinary tract infections, vaginal infections and other gynecologic disorders are provided. We will make referrals for all medical problems or screenings which we do not do on site. These referrals are confidential, affordable, and accessible.