Free and Confidential Reproductive Health Services at SMC
Westside Family Health Center is bringing back free and confidential reproductive health services to SMC starting on April 4.
Illustration by Callie Yiu
With the shift back to in-person learning, Westside Family Health Center (WFHC) is coming back to Santa Monica College (SMC) to provide free and confidential reproductive health services to its students.
Starting on April 4, WFHC will be at the Student Health Services Center on the main campus on the first Tuesday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The reproductive health services include birth control, pregnancy testing, rapid HIV testing, STI screening and treatment, emergency contraception, and safe sex kits.
Reproductive health services are an essential aspect of healthcare for young adults. It is especially crucial for college students, who are often navigating new relationships, exploring their sexuality, and facing challenges with access to care. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs, “increasing access to contraception is a proven strategy for reducing unintended pregnancy and achieving healthy spacing of births.” In the United States, an estimated 37.9 million women require contraceptive services.
Julie Kirk, WFHC's Director of Community Outreach & Education, emphasized the importance of reproductive health services on campus.
"There can be a lot of barriers to accessing care.” Kirk said. “So we feel like the easiest way to do it, especially when the majority of your time is spent at school, is just to provide those services on campus and make it as easy as possible to access.”
All students who have paid the Health Fee required at enrollment are eligible for the WFHC services. Students can make an appointment to receive health services on the WFHC days of service by contacting the SMC Student Health Services Center, or by calling 310-450-2191, ext. 215, 246, 247. If students would like to receive health services on days outside of service days, they will need to contact the clinic directly, located at 3861 Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City, Calif.
For more on-campus information, visit the Student Health Services Center located across from the cafeteria, in the northeast corner of the Cayton Center.
