Erie County Department of Health partners with Planned Parenthood of Central & Western New York for mobile health care

Family planning and sexual health services to be offered at mobile clinic

The Erie County Department of Health will partner with Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York (PPCWNY) to provide mobile clinical services at 608 William St., Buffalo.

“In March, we made an immediate decision to suspend most clinical services at our 608 William St., location,” Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein said. “The need for those health services is still present, and our initiative with Planned Parenthood will increase access to family planning and sexual health services for county residents.”

Services provided by PPCWNY are confidential. PPCWNY offers a sliding scale for payment, and most insurances are accepted, including Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care. PPCWNY also participates in the family planning benefit program. No one is refused care for inability to pay.

PPCWNY services available on the mobile unit include:

• STI testing and treatment, including expedited partner therapy for chlamydia and gonorrhea; syphilis testing and referral for treatment
• Annual preventive visit (including Pap)
• Birth control (excluding IUD)
• Breast exams
• Condoms (free)
• Emergency contraception
• HIV testing and counseling
• HPV vaccinations
• Pregnancy testing and options counseling, including referrals for adoption and parenting support
• Sexual and reproductive health education
• Referrals to services that support social-emotional and physical health
• Telemedicine 
• Urgent visits (UTIs, yeast infection)

“Nothing should get in the way of your sexual and reproductive health, even a pandemic,” PPCWNY Health Center Manager Robin Meister said. “Health care access is a priority for PPCWNY and, in addition to welcoming individuals of all gender identities and sexual orientations, patients who visit our mobile site have access to language services via language line.”

Walk-in patients will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis and can arrive between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Oct. 15 and 29.

For more information, call 716-818-1956.

Patients are asked to wear a face mask and follow physical distancing and other COVID-19-related guidance on site.

The Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York Mobile Unit is funded by The John R. Oishei Foundation, KeyBank in partnership with First Niagara Foundation, and a grant from Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

For more, visit www.erie.gov/health.