“CDC estimates that 19 million new infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people 15 to 21 years of age,” quoted Nancy Montgomery, coordinator of Student Health Services, from the Center of Disease Control report.

The Student Health Center is now offering STD testing during its office hours:

• Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
• Tuesday until 8 p.m.
• Friday, the office is closed at noon.

“It’s very convenient and accessible here,” Noemi Castro, auto tech major, says.

According to Montgomery, Cerritos College has a state-approved Family Pact program that can provide free services, including STD tests.

One just needs to be a student with low income.

“Unless we inform the students, it is least likely they will get tested. There is medication for these diseases. The sooner they get tested, the better,” Montgomery shared. 

Montgomery further shares that the CDC states that women are at greater rick than men and can result in infertility if left untreated.

Student Health will be available to check for all STDs.

It can either be done by a urine or blood test.

“I think it would help give people more opportunity to check themselves,” shared Justin Downs, computer science major.

Furthermore, the Student Health Center wants more to spread the word about safe sex and the Family Pact program which offers free condoms, free pap smears and cheaper birth control.