Like most campuses, City College provides a plethora of services to students — from counseling to cafeteria food, veterans’ resources to Disability Services Programs for Students, and tutoring — to reduced-cost Regional Transit passes — all arguably important for students.
But there was one important service the campus didn’t have until this semester, according to City College nurse Wendy Gomez.
For the first time in more than three years, students have access to on-campus reproductive health services.
Women’s Health Specialists are providing free contraception, STI and pregnancy testing one day a week on campus in Health Services. Health insurance isn’t necessary, but if students are covered, their insurance companies can be billed, according to Gomez.
While it’s taking time for word to get around about the newly reinstated service, flyers posted in campus bathroom stalls have been a fairly effective marketing tool.
“I saw flyers around the women’s restrooms, and then I’ve been to the clinic and saw flyers there, too,” said Greta Andrade, a first-semester student who had just moved to Sacramento from Los Angeles. “I would refer someone if I knew they didn’t have the means, or really can’t go to their own doctor. If I needed to go, I would use it.”
If a student needs further services, or would like HIV testing, he or she will be referred to a Women’s Health Specialist center with the staff and equipment to perform the test.
“They don’t do [HIV testing] here on site because [even though] there’s a rapid HIV test, it’s not as reliable as the blood test,” Gomez said. “So [Women’s Health Specialists] chose not to do the rapid HIV test at all.
“However, if any of their [regular] testing comes up positive, they have the ability to do the treatment right here,” Gomez said. “They have the ability to give them the prescription for the medication and the counseling for it.”
Women who need to have PAP smears can also set up appointments with Women’s Health Specialists.
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Gomez said services for reproductive health were provided on campus by Planned Parenthood until 2012.
“We had Planned Parenthood coming in once a week for, like, seven years, and then they lost their funding,” Gomez said. “And they pulled out [of providing services] for not just us, but for the entire district.
“It took us three years to find another organization that was willing to [provide services] for us. American River College actually got Women’s Health Specialists to do it for the whole district,” Gomez said. “It started there last semester, and Cosumnes River College will be shortly starting as well.”
There are 10 appointments available every Monday. Appointments are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, but students wanting to get in early can be added to a waitlist.
If an appointment is a “no show,” the next student on the waitlist is called in to fill the slot, said Health Assistant Ashley Gibbs.
“There is always a waitlist,” said Gibbs. “Generally I have a waitlist every Monday of six to seven students. With that being said, people do get in, [but] not always the entire waitlist.
“They give me their cell phone number, and when I have a no show, I’ll call and say, ‘Hey, can you come now?’” Gibbs said. “If they’re not on campus, I generally take what their [availability] is, so if I have something come up during that time, I’ll call them.”
Gomez said the first appointment can take around half an hour, but the following appointments, for say, birth control refills, only take between 10 and 20 minutes.
Students can book an appointment at Health Services in Rodda Hall North 125 or call (916) 558-2367.
