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One of the biggest draws of summer in Philadelphia is its carefreeness. Schedules are more relaxed, school’s out, the weather and community events offer many opportunities for later nights and meetups. However, what makes summer so attractive drives a need for greater vigilance when it comes to sexual health. This is why the Philadelphia Department of Public Health is doubling down on Take Control Philly — an ongoing initiative that in 2025 will pair the distribution of 1.2 million free condoms with other efforts to promote sexual health among Philadelphians.
Some statistics demonstrate why we need integrated, targeted programs like Take Control Philly, which prioritizes Philadelphians aged 13 to 19. This year, Philadelphia ranked second highest among 100 metro areas with the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In addition, teens in Philadelphia are 3 to 5 times more likely to have a sexually transmitted disease (STD) than teens in other parts of the U.S. Take Control Philly strategies remove barriers between sexually active youth and safe sex practices by offering:
• Multifaceted cost-free distribution of condoms (along with educational materials) — options/opportunities include online ordering and discreet mail delivery, community events, city health centers, more than 100 walk-up distribution sites, and through vending machines and other means at high schools
• Free STD testing at city health centers
• Condom distribution and free STI testing at Community College of Philadelphia campuses
• TakeControlPhilly.org — a resource site making it easy to order condom kits, access sexual health information, locate sites for testing and free condoms and more
Because we are dedicated to meeting at-risk populations where they are, the Department is also expanding collaborations with colleges and universities. Most recently, this included distribution engagements at West Chester University and Cheyney University — which have a substantial student population of Philadelphia residents.
A critical component of Take Control Philly is providing ongoing access to free condoms and sexual health information throughout the city. This is why, as proud as we were to distribute 1 million condoms in 2024, we did not stop there but instead are building on that momentum by expanding partnerships and leveraging data to enhance work of disease intervention specialists. In other words, our mission is to make safer sexual health practices the norm for all Philadelphians.
While distribution and engagements at schools are important tactics for Take Control Philly, the outreach must continue when school is not in session. We engage key populations at summer events and continue to encourage visits to our website, health centers and other distribution and testing sites. In addition, we call on Philadelphia adults to do their part — starting with leading by example by using condoms and engaging in other sexual health best practices.
We also need adults to be Take Control Philly advocates — especially this time of year when routines may change and school-based resources may not be as accessible. Whether you are their parent, guardian, mentor, coach, spiritual leader or just someone they know and look up to, you can have a big impact on the teens in your life. Think about how many teens you care about and the fact that one out of every three Philadelphia youth will get an STD during their teen years. It doesn’t take much to support their sexual health by guiding them to leverage the resources of Take Control Philly. But it can make a huge difference. And if you need help in having effective conversations, TakeControlPhilly.org has tips for parents too.
The more we all do our part to ensure continual access of Take Control Philly’s free resources, the greater impact we can make in motivating behavior change that promotes ongoing sexual wellness. And a healthier Philly that can engage safely and confidently in sexual activities is a Philly with more sexual freedom and one that will thrive on every level.
The post Doing Our Part to Ensure Summer Loving is Safe Loving appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.