Lake County Health Department invites you to its STI prevention events

WAUKEGAN – The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center and its partners are hosting free community events to educate about sexually transmitted infections, encourage routine screening, preventive care and treatment and emphasize vulnerable populations for providers and the community.

The following events will take place in May and June:

National Hepatitis Testing Day: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, May 19, at the Lake County Administration Building, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at the Lake County Health Department, 3010 Grand Ave., Waukegan, in the third floor board room.

“Routine testing helps track and control the spread of sexually transmitted infections before they lead to serious complications in our residents and within our community,” Valerie Johansen, the Lake County Health Department’s sexually transmitted infections/Need2Know Lake County program coordinator, said in a news release. “These events help us inform residents that help is available and they can get the resources and treatment they need to live healthily.”

At National Hepatitis Testing Day, participants can learn about hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Learn about resources available in Lake County such as education, prevention and harm reduction, testing and treatment, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Attendees can receive free referrals for hepatitis A and B vaccinations and other health department services and schedule a confidential appointment for free hepatitis C and HIV tests at the health department’s STI program office, 2400 Belvidere Road in Waukegan.

The National Hepatitis Testing Day event is in partnership with the Lake County Health Department’s STI Program/Need2Know Lake County and Lake County Stands Against Stigma.

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (June 5): Each year on June 5, HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day is celebrated. This is a time to raise awareness of the challenges HIV Long-Term Survivors face every day. This celebration coincides with the anniversary of the first official reporting of what became known as the AIDS epidemic on June 5, 1981. RSVP by calling Need2Know Lake County at 847-377-8450.

This event is in partnership with the Lake County Health Department STI Program / Need2Know Lake County, Lake County Stands Against Stigma, and Ascension Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance.

For additional information or to make an appointment, call 847-377-8450 or visit lakecountyil.gov/1897/Need2Know-Lake-County-STI-Program.