The Roanoke City & Alleghany Health District is committed to ensuring that all Virginians have access to reproductive health services.
Your local health department has doctors and nurses that can work with you to figure out the best method for you to stay safe and avoid pregnancy. We have low-cost or free services for teens. Make sure you have condoms handy whenever you might have sex. Use birth control and condoms together to make sure you’re doubly protected.
Remember: It’s always okay to wait to have sex. When you decide you’re ready, RCAHD can help with birth control and condoms.
All services are confidential, even for minors. No information can be given to another person without the written consent of the person who received the services.
Services are available for people of all genders and orientations. Costs for services are based on a sliding scale and some insurance plans are accepted. We provide services to everyone regardless of their race, citizenship status or income status. Social security numbers are not required nor proof of residency in the county or city where the services are provided.
Call us to make an appointment to talk about resources!
- Alleghany / Covington / Clifton Forge Health Dept:
(540) 962-2173 - Botetourt Health Dept:
(540) 666-4275 - Craig County Health Dept:
(540) 864-5136 - Roanoke City Health Dept:
(540) 283-5050 - Roanoke County / Salem Health Dept:
(540) 387-5530 - Roanoke County / Vinton Health Dept:
(540) 857-7800
FAQs FOR TEENS
It’s your future. You can protect it!
As a teen, you have more power than anyone to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Find out what you need to know before you begin having sex. It doesn’t matter what sex or gender your partner is, you both need to be protected. If you are having sex, you can protect yourself and your partner from pregnancy, STDs, and HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus). Even if you are not having sex yet, be prepared.
For information about waiting to have sex (abstinence), including how to talk to your partner about it—
For information about healthy relationships—
If you are sexually active, protect yourself and your partner from pregnancy, HIV, and other STDs. Even if you or your partner are using another type of birth control, agree to use a condom every time you have sex, to reduce the risk to both of you for HIV and most other STDs. Birth control (such as the pill, patch, ring, implant, shot, or an IUD) provides highly effective pregnancy prevention, but it does not protect you from HIV and other STDs. Condoms can reduce the risk to both of you for most STDs, including HIV, as well as the risk for pregnancy.
His condom + her hormonal birth control or IUD = DOUBLE PROTECTION.
The Virginia Department of Health provides free or low-cost counseling and reproductive health services, including birth control, for teens. We are a Title X family planning clinic which means we offer private and confidential services for teens. You do not need a parent’s permission to receive birth control or STD testing. You can receive services without using your parent’s insurance. Confidential services means your health information cannot be shared with anyone without your permission, unless your health care provider is concerned that you might hurt yourself or someone else. Your local health department can provide you free or low cost birth control and/or STD testing, without using your parents’ insurance.
It is a good idea to ask for a trusted adult’s help. If you don’t feel like you can rely on your parent or guardian, talk with another trusted adult in your life — like an aunt or uncle, older brother or sister, counselor, or school nurse. And you can always call your local health department to get honest, private information about STDs and birth control.
Call or stop by a clinic to talk with a counselor or health care provider about birth control, condoms, and other reproductive and sexual health needs you might have. Bring a friend for extra support!
For some people, it’s easy to talk to their parents about sex. Other families may not be very open about these topics. Either way, it’s normal to feel a little embarrassed or anxious about bringing up sex to the adults in your life. You might worry that your parents will be angry, disappointed, or upset if you ask about birth control or STDs. But you may be surprised: most of the time parents are glad you came to them, and that you’re being responsible about protecting your health.
Your parents were your age once, and know what it’s like to be a teenager. They probably already know a lot about sex, birth control, and STDs. Even if your parents don’t have all the answers, they can help you find ways to get the information you need, or find a nurse or doctor for you to talk to.
Your parents can also help you get birth control, STD testing, and other sexual health services like the HPV vaccine. But if you really don’t feel safe talking with your parents about this stuff, you can come to the health department and speak with a medical provider.
TALKING WITH YOUR TEEN
- Know where your teen is getting information
- Know what health messages your teen is learning
- Know what health messages are factual and medically accurate Your teen may be getting messages about sex, relationships, and the prevention of HIV, STDs, and pregnancy from a variety of sources, including teachers, friends, health care providers, television, and social media. Some of these messages may be more accurate than others. Don’t assume that your teen’s health education class includes the information you want your child to know—school-based curricula vary from state to state.
- In the car. The car is a private space where your teen doesn’t have to look at you but can hear what you have to say.
- Immediately following a relevant TV show/movie. Characters on TV shows and movies model many behaviors, and certain storylines may provide the opportunity to reinforce positive behavior or discuss the consequences of risky behavior.
- Through text messaging, which may provide an easy, acceptable way to reinforce messages discussed in-person.
Although you may know that having “the talk” with your teen about sex and HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention is important, having a series of discussions that begin early, happen often, and continue over time can make more of a difference than a single conversation.
TOPICS FOR THE TALK
- A person gets pregnant when a sperm cell swims up through the vagina, fertilizes an egg and the fertilized egg sticks to the lining of the uterus. Any type of sex where semen gets inside the vagina could result in pregnancy - even if a penis is near but not inside the vagina, when ejaculation occurs.
- You can avoid an unwanted pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using birth control and contraception. CDC’s website about contraception.
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According to Planned Parenthood, consent is as easy as FRIES! In other words, consent is:
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Freely given: no one has been pressured or manipulated into participating.
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Reversible: either partner can decide to stop at any time, even once a sexual act has begun.
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Informed: everyone should agree to the terms of intimacy (for example, intercourse can only happen if a condom is used).
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Enthusiastic: you only engage in the intimate acts you really want to engage in and can decline to participate in activities that make you uncomfortable or are not desired.
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Specific: just because you agree to one specific activity doesn’t mean you consent to all activities (for example, just because I’m OK with kissing doesn’t mean I agree to have intercourse).
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Talk to them about healthy communication, how to engage in and resolve conflicts, having respect for relationship partners and developing healthy ideas about intimacy (not just sex).
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Sure, nobody’s relationship is perfect, and people make mistakes. But if you feel like you’re being treated badly, you probably are. Listen to your gut. Healthy relationships make you feel good about yourself — unhealthy relationships don’t.
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Lying, cheating, jealousy, and disrespect are signs of an unhealthy relationship. So is trying to control a partner. That includes:
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keeping track of where they are and who they hang out with
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checking their phone or e-mail without permission
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keeping them away from friends or family
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telling them they can’t do certain activities
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preventing them from having money
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As your kids grow, they need to learn more about how to keep their bodies clean and healthy. Ongoing conversations about healthy eating, exercise, good hygiene and self-care are important at this and every stage. There are many free and low-cost resources where teens can get tested for STIs and address other reproductive health concerns like urinary tract infections (UTIs), yeast infections or menstrual health.
Check out these local resources to
learn more about your options:
Parents, start the conversation with these resources:
- Tips for Talking | Planned Parenthood
- For Parents - Adolescent Health (virginia.gov)
- It's Always the Right Time to Talk | Talk With Your Kids
- Talk with your Kids Timeline | Talk With Your Kids
Additional resources:
- Domestic & Sexual Violence: Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention - Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention (virginia.gov)
- Sexual Health FAQs: Sexual Health FAQs - Adolescent Health (virginia.gov)
- Resources for LGBTQ+ Youth: Resources for LGBTQ Youth - Adolescent Health (virginia.gov)
- Sexual Health Services: Family Planning - Family Planning (virginia.gov)
- Power to Decide
- About Youth Advisors - Adolescent Health (virginia.gov)
- Birth Control Options