Options for Sexual Health

The Force Gazette |  December2009 | Issue 92

Golden's new "sex shop", which opens in December, will sell only one thing: low cost contraception. All the other services of Golden's new Options for Sexual Health clinic will be free, confidential and non-judgmental. From its location at the Public Health Unit the OPT clinic will be open twice a month to everyone, young and older, interested in enjoying safe and satisfying sexuality.

"Sexual expression is a core feature of our lives from beginning to end", said OPT spokesperson .... . "At OPT we support the personal values people hold about their sexuality with accurate information, expert care and the skills for making good decisions about relationships. Whether it's a young person concerned about staying safe and healthy, a woman wanting to avoid a pregnancy until she is ready, parents wanting to know how to talk with their children, or mature adults who find themselves "back in circulation", we can help. "

Options for Sexual Health (OPT) is Canada's largest non-profit provider of sexual health services, and has been meeting the reproductive and sexual health needs of British Columbians for nearly fifty years through a network of 51 clinics. OPT clinics provide a variety of services, including pregnancy testing and counseling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, cervical screening, information about birth control methods, affordable contraceptive options, and access to DVDs, pamphlets and other learning tools. The clinics are complemented by the toll-free 1-800 SEX-SENSE line, and a helpful web site, www.optionsforsexualhealth.org

The organizers of Golden's OPT clinic deeply appreciate the generous start-up funding provided by the Columbia Valley Credit Union and the Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiatives Program. "We have support and encouragement from all quarters" said [spokesperson], "and we are looking forward to contributing to the sexual health and wellbeing of this special community."