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NYC Health + Hospitals will see you regardless of the ability to pay. There are several options for you. Come in and we will speak to you about them.

We have YouthHealth locations throughout New York City. Find YouthHealth locations near you.

You can get regular primary care as well as confidential sexual and reproductive health care services:

Primary care:

  • Check-ups
  • Sports physicals and exams for working papers
  • Immunizations ("shots")
  • Care for conditions such as asthma
  • Advice about eating and exercise
  • Care when you feel sick

Primary care visits are not confidential. That means you need to bring your parent or guardian with you, especially if you are visiting us for the first time. But they can sign a form so that you can go by yourself for other regular visits.

Sexual and reproductive health care:

  • Pregnancy testing, counseling about your options if you are pregnant
  • Birth control and counseling about birth control (including emergency contraception)
  • Prenatal care (before and during pregnancy)
  • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea
  • HIV testing
  • Post sexual assault care

You do not need permission from a parent or guardian for sexual and reproductive health care. In fact, the law protects your confidentiality. For more information about your rights to confidential care, you can read this brochure from the New York Civil Liberties Union [in PDF].

Mental health services:

  • Mental health counseling
  • Drug and alcohol abuse counseling

Sexual and reproductive health care are any health services dedicated to healthy sexual activity, treatment of reproductive tract infections, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Those can include:

  • Pregnancy testing, counseling about your options if you are pregnant
  • Birth control and counseling about birth control (including emergency contraception)
  • Prenatal care (before and during pregnancy)
  • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea
  • HIV testing
  • Post sexual assault care

We provide different types of birth control, including the pill, the patch, the ring, Depo-Provera ("the shot") and condoms. We also offer or make referrals for birth control methods that work for a long time, like the intrauterine device (IUD) or implants.

Patient protocols vary slightly from location to location, so depending on where you go, you may have to make another appointment for the IUD or the implant. The good thing about these types of long-term birth control methods is that young women who have it don't have to remember to take a pill every day or to change their ring or patch. It's a good way to prevent pregnancy for as long as you like.

You can also get condoms in our clinics. If you're a sexually active young man, you can pick up condoms for yourself. If you're a sexually active young woman, you can pick up condoms for your partner. If you're having sex, you should use some type of birth control and a condom to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Emergency contraception (also known as the "morning after pill") is medication girls or women can take after they've had unprotected sex to help prevent pregnancy. You can use emergency contraception if you didn't use a condom or birth control, if the condom you used broke, or if you think your birth control may not work. Emergency contraception should be taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of sex. So, don't delay getting help if you need emergency contraception.

Even though emergency contraception is available, you should always try to have protected sex using both a birth control option and a condom.

STDs are diseases that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and HIV.

Many STDs do not show symptoms for a long time, but they can still be harmful and passed on during sex.

You can get an STD by having sex (vaginal, anal or oral) with someone who has an STD. Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD. You don’t even have to "go all the way" (have anal or vaginal sex) to get an STD, since some STDs, like herpes and HPV, are spread by skin-to-skin contact. The only way to know for sure if you have an STD is to get tested. Call any of our YouthHealth locations or just come in.

HPV or human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. HPV can cause health problems like genital warts. It can also cause cervical cancer and other cancers. All boys and girls ages 11 or 12 should get vaccinated. Catch up vaccines are recommended for guys up to age 21 and young women up to age 26.

All adolescents, including young men, can get regular primary care at our clinics. That means you can get:

  • Check-ups
  • Sports physicals or exams for working papers
  • Immunizations ("shots")
  • Care for conditions such as asthma
  • Advice about eating and exercise
  • Care when you feel sick

Primary care visits are not confidential. That means you will need to bring your parent or guardian with you, especially if you are visiting the clinic for the first time. But they can sign a form so that you can go by yourself for other regular visits.

All adolescents, including young men, can get confidential sexual and reproductive health care services at NYC Health + Hospitals YouthHealth locations. This includes testing and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections.

Find YouthHealth services near you.

Yes. Playing a sport is an important part of many young people's lives. Some sports can be demanding on your body. You can get a physical before starting a sport. If an injury occurs while playing a sport, our doctors can help you decide the best care for your injury.

If you're an adolescent minor under the age of 18, you can receive confidential care for sexual and reproductive health services. This means the doctor cannot tell anyone without your permission when you receive confidential services for:

  • Pregnancy testing and counseling about your options if you are pregnant
  • Birth control and counseling about birth control (including emergency contraception)
  • Prenatal care
  • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea
  • HIV testing
  • Post sexual assault care

For more information about your rights to confidential care, you can read this brochure from the New York Civil Liberties Union [in PDF].

If you are seeing the doctor for any other care, such as a regular check-up, shots, or care for conditions like asthma, your doctor can share this information with your parent or guardian. Also, if you tell the doctor that you may hurt yourself or other people, the doctor may report this to others in order to keep you safe.

Talking to parents can be very helpful. Your parents can be a source of support for the hard decisions you often face as an adolescent. While the conversation may be hard to start, it can bring you closer and you may be glad you did in the long run.