Free Services

NO MONEY? NO PROBLEM!

ALL clinics in this Guide can use Family PACT and Medi-Cal, two government programs, to give you most sexual health services for FREE. And, County STD Clinics are always free for everyone to use, any time.

Another government program, Vaccines for Children (“VFC”), can help you get FREE vaccines for STDs, like HPV.

If your family has health insurance, like Kaiser or L.A. Care, you can also use it for sexual health services, and require them to keep your visit private from your parents.

Here’s how these programs work…

USING FAMILY PACT

What is Family PACT?

Family PACT is a CA program to help ensure that everyone can get many sexual health services, including birth control and STD testing and treatment.

How to get it:

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Ask at the clinic! They can see if you qualify for Family PACT, and then SIGN YOU UP ON THE SPOT.
To use Family PACT, you’ll be asked about your income:
- Age 17 or younger? Your parents’ income is NOT counted, so you will probably qualify.
- Age 18 or older? You can still use Family PACT if your income is under the limit, and you meet a few other requirements.
For more info, go to www.familypact.org

USING MEDI-CAL

What is Medi-Cal?

Medi-Cal is a CA program to give health services to CA residents with lower-incomes. Anyone who lives in CA and is under the income limit can get regular Medi-Cal. But you should also know about two special types of Medi-Cal:

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“Minor Consent Medi-Cal.”

Covers more services than Family PACT, like drug treatment, PrEP, and abortion
Can cover you up to age 21, and even up to 26 if you were in foster care
You don’t need to qualify for regular Medi-Cal to get it

“Emergency Medi-Cal:”

You can use Emergency Medi-Cal for an urgent service, like abortion.

How to get it:

Unlike Family PACT, the clinic can’t enroll you, you must go to an L.A. County DPSS (Department of Public Social Services) office to sign up for Minor Consent or Emergency Medi-Cal.
To find a DPSS office near you, see the DPSS office list here
Call the clinic you plan to visit, many clinics can help answer questions about Medi-Cal.
If you are or were in foster care, call the Foster Care Ombudsperson at 877-846-1602

USING YOUR FAMILY’S INSURANCE WITH A CCR

What is a CCR?

A “CCR” (Confidential Communications Request) lets you use your parents’ health insurance, like Kaiser or L.A. Care, for birth control and STD/HIV services, without the insurance plan telling your parents that you used these services, or sending them any bills or letters.

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How to get it:

For info on how to get a CCR, visit www.myhealthmyinfo.org
The insurer MUST let you request a CCR for all sexual health services.
To make sure your services stay private, give the CCR to the insurance company BEFORE you go to the clinic.

USING VFC TO GET FREE VACCINES

What is VFC?

VFC (Vaccines for Children) is a U.S. government program that helps pay for vaccinations for kids and teens. In CA, if you are under age 18, you can get vaccinations for STDs, including HPV and Hepatitis B, without anyone’s permission. And VFC might allow you to get those vaccinations for free.

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How to get it: