TOP STORY OF THE DAY: “On The Go” Health Care For Men And Women

IVY JACOBS PHOTO - The Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC) Mobile Unit is located each Wednesday in the Brazil Nazarene parking lot from Noon to 4 p.m.

Did you know the Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC) Mobile Unit offers confidential medical services and quality care “on the go” for both women and men?

If you are sexually active, have been potentially exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, are pregnant, or think you might be, the CPC Mobile Unit can help.

“If you are sexually active in today’s society, you probably need to be tested,” said Larry Swan of Crisis Pregnancy Center. “There is an epidemic of STDs out there right now.”

Research and studies about the risk and rates of transmission of STDs from a one-time heterosexual sexual encounter include data about:

HIV Genital herpes

Chlamydia Gonorrhea

Syphilis Ureaplasma

Mycoplasma Trichomoniasis

HPV

In 2012, the World Health Organization stated that 14.4% of Americans had HSV-2. Millions of new cases of sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed in the United States and Europe every year.

The CPC Mobile Unit provides free or low-cost testing available and potential treatments or provides helpful (and nonjudgemental) information.

“People need to know that medically trained professional volunteers provide these services,” said Paulette Gaskill RN, a Brazil resident who retired as a registered nurse but volunteers weekly for the mobile clinic in Clay County. “There is treatment available.”

Other medical services (some by appointment) include PAP Smear, PAP Smear with HPV Testing, Bacterial Vaginosis Testing, Yeast Infection Testing, Trichomoniasis Testing, Herpes Testing(visual exam), and Clinical Breast Examinations.

The CPC Mobile Unit also provides educational information about various forms of birth control, relevant and accurate information about abortion procedures and risks, proper aftercare, adoption facts and options, and, of course, parenting education.

The Terre Haute clinic is at 530 Wabash Avenue and can be contacted by calling 812-234-8059 for more information.

Swan said classes are available in the CPC Conference Room, including “Earn While You Learn Group Class” (1st & 3rd Tuesdays monthly) for young expectant families to work with a mentor.

“Parents receive ‘Family Bucks’ to spend or save for items they will need,” said Swan. “Prices on diapers and things like that are high, and they are not getting lower anytime soon. We also have the ‘Encouraging Parents Together’ and a ‘Fatherhood Class’ because many men have not had strong role models in their lives.  

They don’t know what to expect, and this class helps with that.”

Both Gaskill and Swan agree that visiting the CPC Mobile Unit is a great place to stop for young families facing first-time pregnancies.

“We have a lot of resources that people are unaware of,” said Gaskill.

“We can help point them in the right direction,” said Swan. “For questions like being pregnant and staying in school to help pay the utilities, we have resources to help.”

While many of the classes are currently at the Terre Haute office, if enough people are interested locally to start a class, those interested can stop by the CPC Mobile unit Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. and sign up, or call 812-235-1153 to sign up for a current class in Terre Haute.

NOTE: Parents with small children wanting to attend a class are encouraged to make arrangements for a babysitter. There are no daycare facilities at the Terre Haute clinic.