Personal Health Services

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2nd/4th Thursdays:
8:00 am - 7:00 pm

1st/3rd/5th Thursdays:
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Services are provided on an appointment basis. Please call: 616-632-7171

Services are available for all persons 13 years of age or older. Minors do not need parental or guardian consent for counseling, testing, or treatment.

No children are allowed in the exam rooms. Children should not be left alone, with strangers, or in your car.

There are no fees for services at this time.

Personal Health Services is located at 700 Fuller Avenue, N.E. We are on the main floor. Services are not provided at any satellite clinics.

Condoms are offered free of charge.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)

Counseling and testing:
Our clinic nurses are experienced and trained to provide confidential counseling, testing and treatment for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Syphilis. Most of the time, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia testing is done with a urine sample. Syphilis is a blood test.

A nurse will see you, and ask questions about your health and what your testing needs are. It is especially important to know about any body rashes or lesions/bumps in your genital area. Services are delivered in a non-judgmental manner, so please tell the nurse what you know so you get the best care. It is important to understand your risks for acquiring a STI, and the nurse can help you identify steps you can take that may prevent future infections.

Results:
STI test results are available four business days later by a private password system via a computer or telephone.

Treatment:
Persons who test positive for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or Syphilis are offered treatment at no charge.

It is important to identify sexual partners that are also at risk and get them in to clinic for testing and treatment as well. STI can be passed back and forth between sexual partner(s), and can even harm the health of an unborn baby.

Retesting Recommendation:
It is recommended for persons who have tested positive for either Gonorrhea or Chlamydia, to get retested three months after treatment.

Referrals:
We provide information on, but do not conduct testing for: Herpes, HPV/Warts, Trichomoniasis, or Bacterial Vaginitis. Occasionally, a person may come in with symptoms that are very serious and a referral to a doctor, clinic, or emergency room may be made for the best health care.

We do not do Pap smears. We encourage all sexually active woman to have a Pap smear every year or as often as suggested by your doctor.

HIV

Counseling and testing:
Our counselors are State-certified, experienced and trained to provide confidential or anonymous HIV testing in a non-judgmental manner.

A counselor will see you, and ask questions about your risk for acquiring HIV. It is important for each person to understand their risks for acquiring HIV, and a risk reduction plan can be developed to help prevent future infection.

Two ways to test for HIV: Conventional blood test or a Rapid (finger-poke) test.

Results:
A person who has a conventional blood test for HIV must return for their test result. Results are made available ten days after testing.

A Rapid HIV test has a result available within 30 minutes at the same visit. You may talk to the counselor about this option.

Referrals:
We provide community referrals for other identified client needs.

Partner Services (PS) are offered to all individuals who test positive for HIV. HIV can be spread to sexual partners, needle-sharing partners, or to an unborn baby. Offering testing and counseling to contacts is very important, so people may get appropriate medical care and also to help stop the spread of the disease to others.

Misc.:
Travel HIV testing and documentation can be done for a $30.00 fee.

Hepatitis B and C

Counseling and testing:
Persons concerned about Hepatitis B or C testing will need to discuss their risk with a clinic nurse. Other high-risk testing criteria have been established by the State, and the nurse will let you know if we can test you.

If you have health insurance, we can not provide the testing for you. Please see your personal physician.

Vaccines:
Hepatitis A and B, along with other vaccinations, are available by appointment at all Kent County Health Department clinic locations.

Tuberculosis (TB) Services

The TB Unit is responsible for the surveillance, reporting, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up testing to control and prevent the spread of TB.

TB clinic is held Tuesday afternoon, 1:00pm to 5:00pm. TB clinic services are provided on an appointment basis. Please call: 616-632-7190.

TB clinic is located at the Annex building, directly behind the main health department building.

There are no fees for services.

If you are known to have tested positive for a TB skin test, never get another TB skin test. If an employer is requiring a chest x-ray, please see your personal physician. TB clinic does not provide routine chest x-rays.

Latent TB Prevention Medication:
Personal Health Services is located at 700 Fuller Avenue, N.E. We are on the main floor.
TB medications are not provided at any satellite clinics.

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2nd/4th Thursdays:
8:00 am - 7:00 pm

1st/3rd/5th Thursdays:
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm