About
Sexual and reproductive health are essential for individual, family and community health and well-being.
Bodily autonomy and the ability to make personal and intimate decisions about our health are fundamental rights.
Your ability to make personal and intimate decisions about your health are a fundamental and standard component of primary care, as well as within substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
MISSION:
Everyone living in, or seeking care in Los Angeles County must have equitable access to high quality sexual and reproductive health services,
counseling, and information when participating in SUD treatment - regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, income, insurance, or immigration status.
It is essential to have open, honest, and non-judgmental conversations in SUD treatment settings about sexual and reproductive health between providers and patients, partners, and family members.
These conversations are vital to support one’s sexual and reproductive health and wellness, and must be prioritized, normalized, and integrated into diverse health and SUD treatment community settings.
We believe encouraging conversations about sexual and reproductive health, that are free from stigma, is an important step toward ensuring health equity and reproductive justice for all.
We believe encouraging conversations about sexual and reproductive health, that are free from stigma, is an important step toward ensuring health equity and reproductive justice for all.
The REAL TALK. REAL OPTIONS. program, developed by the Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (DPH-SAPC) in collaboration with Essential Access Health, is focused on integrating discussions around sexual and reproductive health in SUD treatment settings.
DPH-SAPC is dedicated to promoting and encouraging ongoing conversations about sexual and reproductive health options to lessen the stigma associated with pregnancy and reproductive health choices for individuals in SUD treatment settings.
Your Options
Birth Control
Birth control (also known as contraception) is a way to prevent pregnancy. There are a variety of birth control methods available to prevent an unintended pregnancy.
The birth control method that is right for you and your partner depends on many things and may change over time.
Your healthcare or treatment provider can discuss all the options available to fit your short-term and long-term goals.
Explore more at
Bedsider.
Family Planning
Family planning services support an individual’s decisions about when, or if, they would like to have children (or more children) by offering education, counseling, and birth control options.
Services offered at a family planning visit can include discussions around birth control methods, pregnancy testing and counseling, spacing pregnancies,
assistance with achieving or ending a pregnancy, adoption referrals, basic infertility services, preconception health services,
and sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing and services.
For more information, see the Resources and Support Card found
here.
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care is the care you get while you are pregnant. Going to all your prenatal visits is vital in helping ensure you and your baby are healthy.
Potential risk can be caught early, and potential complications can be reduced.
There are also many hospitals, clinics, and programs that offer educational classes such as nutrition, breastfeeding/chestfeeding, planning for delivery and baby care that can help with your pregnancy needs.
For more information, see the Resources and Support Card found
here.
Postpartum Care
Postpartum care is the care you receive after a pregnancy ends until the time your internal body has nearly returned to its pre-pregnancy state.
This period involves going through many changes, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It can also involve you and your partner learning how to care for your newborn and learning how to function as a changed family unit.
Postpartum and mental health: During the postpartum period and for some beyond that point, the pregnant person as well as their partner may experience depression and anxiety, as well as other mental health conditions.
This is called Postpartum Mood Disorders (PMD), also known as Postpartum Depression. PMD can have significant effects.
For more information, see the Resources and Support Card found
here.
Reproductive Health Services
Reproductive health services can promote your sexual and reproductive health and wellness needs throughout your life. These services are available for all individuals to help ensure healthy pregnancies and birth outcomes for mothers and babies.
Health Providers can offer services that include diagnosis, prevention, treatment and a variety of options that meet your sexual and reproductive choices.
It is important to get connected to a Provider that is right for you as not all Providers offer a full array of services.
For more information on low to no-cost Health Services and Education:
•
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles
•
MAMA’s Neighborhood