Family Planning at Heartland
Reproductive Health Care For All
Reproductive health is a crucial component of overall well-being for people of all genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and socio-economic statuses. Family planning services provide the education and care you need to make reproductive health decisions including if/when you want children.
Reproductive health & family planning services are offered at Heartland Community Health Center for all people, regardless of insurance status. These services include contraceptive services, pregnancy testing, screenings for breast and cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.
Heartland is your community resource for all reproductive health and family planning needs, including:
- Pregnancy testing
- Contraception/birth control (see list below)
- Testicular exams
- Sexually-transmitted infection (STI) testing & treatment
- HIV testing, treatment, and prevention
- Health education and counseling
- Cervical cancer (HPV) screening and pelvic exams
- Breast exams
- Diagnosis and treatment of vaginal infections
- HPV vaccinations
What is Title X?
Title X was created to provide affordable birth control and reproductive health care to people who couldn’t otherwise afford these services on their own. Title X funding was intended to ensure that every person — regardless of how much money they make or whether or not they have health insurance — has access to basic, preventive reproductive health care.
Effective immediately, Heartland will be accepting patients from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health Department for Title X services. New and existing patients can receive care at Heartland now using our sliding-fee scale.
As the Health Department is phasing out these services, Heartland is prepared to meet the immediate community need for walk-in, same day, next day, or same week access to STI screening & appointments.
Walk-in Hours for STI Testing
Monday -Friday:
8 a.m. – Noon
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Starting fall, 2023, Heartland anticipates receiving state funding to offer Title X pricing.
Pregnancy Prevention
When people are in control of their reproductive health, they are able to plan when, or if, they want to have children. For those interested in preventing pregnancy there are several different methods of contraception available. Patients can be prescribed a variety of types of birth control pills, the Depo-Provera injection, the patch, the ring, Nexplanon, or IUDs. Your health care provider will take a careful health history and work alongside the patient to determine which method is safe, appropriate, and affordable.
Birth control is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy. Some types of birth control can also help treat certain health problems or provide other health benefits. Available birth control options include:
- Hormonal birth control pills
- Injection (Depo-Provera)
- Intrauterine contraceptives
- Small plastic device implanted in the uterus that releases the synthetic hormone progestin to prevent sperm from reaching the cervix.
- Implants
- Thin, matchstick-sized plastic rod that’s implanted under the skin of your upper arm.
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Improving sexual and reproductive health helps reduce health disparities and rates of infectious diseases, cancer, and infertility.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates indicate one in five people in the U.S. – have an STI at any given day. Because many cases of STIs go undiagnosed—and some common viral infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and genital herpes, are not reported to CDC at all—the reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis represent only a fraction of the true number of people impacted by STIs each year. Heartland offers screening and treatment for all STIs.
Other infections and diseases
Bacterial vaginosis is a common, treatable, vaginal condition. BV can increase the chance of getting an STI. Treatment can help avoid the increased chance of serious health risks associated with BV such as getting/transmitting HIV, pre-term delivery, getting other STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is an infection of the reproductive organs and can have serious long-term complications. PID can sometimes cause mild or no symptoms and can only be detected by a pelvic exam. Some of the complications include scar tissue leading to tubal blockage, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.
HPV is so common that nearly all people who are sexually active get the virus at some point in their lives (90 percent). HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer and can also cause cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, mouth, and throat. In fact, more than 60 percent of penile cancers and 70 percent of throat cancers are also caused by HPV.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world and can affect people of all genders. Finding breast cancer early and access to treatment are two of the most important strategies for preventing deaths from breast cancer. The first step in finding breast cancer is routine breast exams. If any abnormalities are felt, mammograms and other breast imaging services are ordered.
According to the American Cancer Society Guidelines, the two most important things you can do to prevent cervical cancer are to get the HPV vaccine and to be tested regularly through pap smear/HPV testing. However, less than half of uninsured people at risk for cervical cancer in Kansas have had a recent Pap test/Pap smear.
In addition to improving health through STD testing/treatment, cancer screenings, and preventing unwanted pregnancy, access to sexual and reproductive health services helps people through substance use treatment referrals, domestic violence screenings, nutrition counseling, and Medicaid/insurance eligibility assistance.
HIV Testing, Treatment, and Prevention
Heartland Community Health Center is the only clinic in Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas, to offer point-of-care (rapid) HIV testing. Rapid tests are often referred to as point-of-care tests because rather than sending a blood sample to a laboratory, the test can be conducted and the result read in a doctor’s office or a community setting, without specialized laboratory equipment.
Most point-of-care tests require a tiny sample of blood (the fingertip is pricked with a lancet). They are called ‘rapid’ tests because the result can usually be given within a few minutes.
In addition to multiple testing options, Heartland can also prescribe PrEP medication. PrEP is a pill that reduces the risk of getting HIV when taken as prescribed. Fewer than 25% of the approximately 1 million Americans who could benefit from PrEP are using this preventative medication.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) is medicine taken to prevent getting HIV. PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV when taken as prescribed.
- PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99%.
- PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from injection drug use by at least 74%.
Heartland provides integrated health care for persons living with HIV infection and participates in the Ryan White Program. The Ryan White program helps Kansans with HIV who have a family income at or below 400% of federal poverty guidelines access important health services. These services include primary medical care, medication assistance, health insurance assistance, mental health counseling, substance use treatment, dental care, case management, and other HIV-related medical and support services.
Heartland can also provide all these services on a sliding scale to those who do not qualify for the Ryan White program. All patients, regardless of income or insurance status, have access to the resources needed to monitor and treat infection, in order to achieve the highest quality of life possible.
Equity & Respect
Sexual and reproductive health is intrinsic to overall health. It’s more than preventing pregnancy, STIs, and cancers, it’s also safety from discrimination, violence, and poverty. All people need access to accurate information and comprehensive health services including contraception, counseling, testing/treatment.
Regularly seeing a health care provider and having open and honest conversations about sexual and reproductive wellness can save lives and improve the health of our community.
How Heartland Helps:
- Medicaid & Insurance Eligibility Assistance/Counseling
- Domestic violence and substance use disorder help from licensed social workers and behavioral health consultants
- Mental health services from LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapists
- Sliding-Fee Scale options for people who are uninsured or unable to afford services
- Early Detection Works Program for free Pap Smears and Mammograms
- HPV-associated cancer prevention with Pap Smears and Gardasil vaccines
- STI and HIV testing with free options for those who qualify
- Diagnosis and treatment of vaginal and penile infections
- Prescribing and filling affordable or free birth control medications quickly, in-house at River City Pharmacy
