Sexual & Reproductive Health | Student Health and Wellness

What testing is available at SHaW?

Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be diagnosed by a urine test or a urethral swab, whether or not symptoms are present. For either test it is important that you don’t empty your bladder for at least one hour (preferably two) before the test. These tests are generally accurate 1-2 weeks after exposure.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by urine test or urethral swab; it is usually tested for at the same time as Chlamydia.
Herpes
If you have a sore or a blister in the genital area, a swab can be taken for herpes culture. If you don’t currently have any symptoms, a blood test can be done, but it may not be accurate for up to 4 months after exposure.
Genital Warts
Genital warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and can only be diagnosed in men is if there are visible bumps or growths present in the genital, pubic, or anal area; there is currently no swab, blood or urine screening test available for men who are asymptomatic and may be infected with HPV. Treatment for genital warts is available by appointment.
Syphilis
is diagnosed by a blood test.
HIV
HIV testing is done via blood test at SHaW on a confidential (not anonymous) basis. Before scheduling an appointment, it is important that you read about our HIV counseling and testing policies. Be aware that it may take up to 6 months for either test to be positive following infection. The Rainbow Center and SHaW offers anonymous HIV testing. Please contact their offices for information about their testing procedures.

Paying For STD Testing at SHaW:

Your specimen(s) are sent to an outside laboratory for processing. They will bill your insurance for these tests.
It is always a good idea to call your insurance company (there should be a phone number on your card) to make sure they will cover these tests or any other services you receive. Most insurance companies will cover for STD testing if you are currently experiencing symptoms. Always bring your insurance card with you to your appointment!

State of Connecticut Dept of Public Health Testing:

If you prefer, you may obtain testing services at a CT Dept of Public Health Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic located at many sites around the state.

In partnership with USG, there is Plan B available for free to undergraduate students. If at anytime this funding is no longer available, the cost will be $15 at our Pharmacy.

Graduate students can purchase a generic form of Plan B (the “morning-after pill”) over-the-counter at our Pharmacy. The cost is only $15.00! Students of any age or gender with a valid UConn ID can purchase Plan B without a prescription. Students can use cash, credit cards, Husky Bucks, or even charge the purchase to their fee bill.

ella, another type of emergency contraception, is available by prescription and billed through insurance.

What is Plan B?

Plan B Emergency Contraception is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after sex.

Consider using Plan B if:

You didn’t use a contraceptive during sex
You think your contraceptive didn’t work

How does Plan B work?
Plan B Emergency Contraceptive pills contain the same medication as regular birth control pills, and help to prevent pregnancy. Take Plan B as soon as possible. It is best to take Plan B within three days of unprotected sex. The sooner you take Plan B the more effective it is. For more information talk to your pharmacist or practitioner.

Who should NOT take Plan B?

Plan B should not be taken if you are already pregnant or if you are allergic to any ingredient in Plan B.
Do not use Plan B if you have unexplained vaginal bleeding.

Is it safe and will it work? What will it do?

Plan B is safe and effective.
Plan B reduces the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent.
Plan B does not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Plan B won’t cause an abortion.
Plan B is NOT the same as RU-486 (the abortion pill).
Plan B is not effective after pregnancy has occurred and cannot interrupt it.
Plan B won’t harm a developing fetus.
If Plan B is taken mistakenly during pregnancy, it will not harm the developing fetus.
Using Plan B will not affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant in the future.

People can keep pills at home in case of an emergency. Many people find it convenient to have Plan B on hand in case of an emergency. Plan B is for emergency use and should not be used in place of regular contraception since it is not as effective as regular contraception. Store Plan B at controlled room temperature (68˚-77˚F). Excursions permitted between 59˚-86˚F. Be sure to have a medical follow-up after taking Plan B. If you don’t get a normal period within three weeks, take a pregnancy test. It is important to visit your doctor or clinic if you need a regular birth control method or information about preventing sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV/AIDS.

If you are pregnant or are a new parent and are feeling overwhelmed, sad, or anxious and need someone to talk to:
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline | MCHB (hrsa.gov)
- Call or text to 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for free, confidential 24/7 mental health support for moms and their families before, during and after pregnancy.
Post Partum Support International – Postpartum Support International - PSI
- CT Chapter Connecticut Chapter of Postpartum Support International (psichapters.com)
- Call or Text our HelpLine: Call 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD) (English & Spanish)
Sparkler App – a mobile app that helps parents to check in on how their child is doing against key milestones and provides activities to spark early learning. Register through this link.
March of Dimes--Help us improve the health of all moms and babies | March of Dimes
If you are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts dial 988 for mobile crisis services.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening situation, dial 911 immediately.

Public Act No. 23-41: An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care by Students at Public

Institutions of Higher Education
The University of Connecticut Plan - January 2024

1) Availability of SHaW Services: SHaW offers a suite of services applicable to the act on both the
Storrs and Stamford residential campuses.

a. The SHaW practice at the Storrs campus is staffed by trained and licensed doctors, advanced
practice registered nurses (APRN) and registered nurses (RN) who provide counseling,
evaluation, and treatment. Among the services provided on the Storrs campus are:
Primary care gynecological services including preventative gynecological services

Gender affirming care including hormone therapy
Sexually transmitted infection screening, testing and treatment including expedited
partner therapy (EPT)
An on-site pharmacy and phlebotomy station
Contraceptive care including emergency contraception options
A Nurse Advice Line which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the
academic year, and during business hours on breaks
Free period products available at the Hilda May Williams Building and at other
designated sites on campus
GloveBox, an online ordering and delivery service of safer sex supplies which are also
available at designated sites on campus
Education about sexual health including the peer education program, UConn Sexperts
A peer support group for expecting and parenting students

b. The SHaW practice at the Stamford campus is currently undergoing an expansion of
services. Beginning in the spring 2024 semester, a registered nurse will be present on the
Stamford campus to serve as a Nurse Navigator. The Nurse Navigator will support students
by facilitating the coordination of care with providers in the community appropriate to the
student’s needs. Currently available to Stamford campus students is the Nurse Advice Line
which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the academic year, and during
business hours on breaks. Also provided on the Stamford campus are:

Safer sex supplies which are also available at designated sites on campus
Education about sexual health
A peer support group for expecting and parenting students

2) Access to Off-Campus Services: When a student at the Storrs or Stamford campus seeks a service
not available at the on-campus facility, SHaW will work with the student to assess the student’s
clinical needs, preferences, and insurance coverage and support them in matching these with
appropriate local providers.

a. The Storrs campus facility offers most primary care services. The above pathway applies for
certain students needing services not provided by SHaW. In addition, SHaW is collaborating
with providers at UConn Health to assess the need and increase the availability of
reproductive healthcare services in Storrs.

b. The Stamford campus primarily offers the Nurse Navigator services as detailed above as a
pathway for students needing access to services not provided by SHaW.

3) Continuity of Care: SHaW will continue to account for continuity of care during holiday and vacation
periods, and between semesters, in the care plans they develop with students on the Storrs and
Stamford campuses. The Nurse Advice Line is available to all students 24/7 during the academic
year, and during business hours when classes are not in session. The Storrs practice provides
services to students year-round, and there is on-call coverage outside of business hours during the
academic year. SHaW currently provides limited telehealth services in compliance with prevailing
regulations and standards of care.

4) Transportation: For purposes of advancing this plan, SHaW has defined the service region to be
within a 50-mile radius of the residential campuses in Storrs and Stamford. This includes a network
of licensed providers in the metropolitan areas of Springfield and Hartford for the Storrs campus,
and New Haven and New York for the Stamford campus. SHaW will encourage students requiring
transportation within this region to use SHaW taxi vouchers or a rideshare service. SHaW will
provide related financial support to cover transportation fees to qualifying appointments. SHaW
estimates the annual transportation costs will be $10,000. SHaW will investigate whether
transportation costs may be covered by an individual student’s insurance, however this is otherwise
unfunded.

5) Qualifying Life Event for Insurance Coverage: While all UConn students are required to have health
insurance, SHaW recognizes that certain plans may not cover reproductive health services. The
diagnosis of pregnancy is a qualifying life event for insurance coverage purposes, which allows for
students to change to a different insurance plan outside of the open enrollment period. SHaW will
provide students with information and materials about pregnancy being a qualifying life event for a
change of health insurance coverage in the state. The information provided by SHaW may include,
for example, that regardless of a student’s permanent address, a student may apply for HUSKY
Health coverage based upon a school residential address. Additionally, SHaW has been informed
that HUSKY Health recognizes gender affirming care as a qualifying life event and will share that
information with students as appropriate. SHaW may also provide information about the UConn
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and other potential insurance options. SHaW recognizes that
some students may not meet the HUSKY Health eligibility criteria and has not identified a funding
source for other insurance options or for the cost of reproductive services not covered by existing
insurance.

6) Maternal Mental Health Care: SHaW’s mental health team is a multidisciplinary team of clinical providers
trained in conducting comprehensive assessments to understand and respond to issues facing students.
Services may be delivered through SHaW or by a community provider based on the students’ needs. The team
includes a mental health clinical case management team on both
the Storrs and Stamford campuses that specifically focuses on identifying specialized mental health
needs including those specific to maternal mental health.
Students may also be referred to the SHaW website to access a range of mental
health supports and educational materials on maternal mental health. The SHaW team is in
the process of examining a range of additional maternal mental health tools to determine those best
suited to the demographics of student populations. Such assessments may be added to the existing
suite of tools.