The Plaquemines Parish Health Department will be joining services with the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, to introduce two public health programs, Family Planning and STD’s to our residents.

The Family Planning program will help clients:

· Delay pregnancy beyond the teen years to improve the socioeconomic status and health of both mothers and infants;

· Reduce the negative impact of unintended pregnancies on individuals, families and the community; 

· Plan pregnancies so that all children are planned, wanted and born healthy; 

· Access reproductive health services such as Pap Smears, STD screening and physical exams.

· This will include contraceptive services and supplies, screening for cervical cancer and teaching self breast exams.

The STD program conducts four basic activities pertaining to the control of STDs:

· Clinical services involve testing, diagnosing and treating persons seen in clinics.  

· Epidemiology includes surveillance and partner notification. Partner notification is the location and referral of persons suspected of being exposed to a sexually transmitted disease for examination and early treatment.

· Screening is a mechanism to discover and monitor infections in certain populations and determine disease prevalence.

· Prevention activities educate patients, as well as, the general public about sexually transmitted diseases and changing sexual behavior.

· The mission of the Sexually Transmitted Disease Program is to prevent death, disability, and social loss by interrupting and preventing the spread of STDs through the identification of potentially infectious patients and their referral to treatment. The program attempts to reduce the case rates below the national average where possible.

These  services began on Friday, March 4, at 3706 Main Street, in Belle Chasse. Please call the Plaquemines Parish Health Department at 504.394.3510 for scheduling or more information.