In California, you can get any birth control, including emergency contraception, STD testing and treatment for STIs/STDs, pregnancy testing and prenatal care, abortion services, and HIV/AIDS testing – all without anyone knowing! It’s all free and confidential – that means it is your business and your business only. Legally, your parents, friends, teachers, and other family members aren’t allowed to access your medical record, or call your teen clinic to find out why you went there, or even if you were there in the first place.
They won’t get a bill in the mail, either… your visits at the teen clinic (or wherever you need to get birth control or STD testing) are usually paid for by a state program called Family PACT. Basically, the government knows you want to keep some health services private – so they put together some funding to cover your birth control, STD testing and treatment, etc. You can sign up at the clinic (the staff will help you with the application) and you can usually be seen that day for a test or appointment.
If you want to know more, check out “Know Your Rights” at teensource.org, or just stop into your local teen clinic to talk to the staff. Your health – Your Privacy – Your Rights.