Preventing HIV with free or low-cost medication is easy with Northeast Valley Health Corporation. Our care team will create a personalized prevention plan for you using safe and effective medications that help you take control of your sexual health and protect you from HIV.
Sexual Health Hotline
The NEVHC health care team is here for you to help prioritize your sexual health, safety and privacy with our HIV prevention services.
These services are offered to all patients regardless of health coverage and are available at our 17 health center locations in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.
Testing for HIV is quick and requires a blood sample. Rapid HIV testing is also available at all NEVHC health center locations.
Many health coverage plans and programs provide PrEP and PEP for free or at a reduced cost. If you are uninsured our enrollment counselors will help you select the best health plan to cover or reduce your PrEP or PEP costs.
If you test positive for HIV, treatment is available for you and your partner(s).
Our health educators can answer your questions about safe sex practices and HIV.
We currently offer two forms of HIV prevention medication:
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is an HIV prevention method that involves taking one pill daily to prevent HIV. PrEP is taken by individuals at high risk for contracting HIV. When taken as directed PrEP is up to 99% effective in helping individuals stay HIV negative.
You are considered high risk for HIV exposure if:
If you believe PrEP is right for you please call our Sexual Health Hotline to be connected to a medical professional: (818) 923-9160
To access PrEP at NEVHC you must first schedule an appointment by calling our Sexual Health Hotline: (818) 923-9160
A prescription is required to start on PrEP. At your appointment a health care provider will discuss your sexual health history to determine if PrEP is right for you. It is important that you are honest so that the health care provider can provide the best care and treatment. You will also be required to take an HIV test to make sure you are not currently HIV positive.
If you are prescribed PrEP your health care provider will teach you how to take PrEP and answer your questions. You will also have to meet with your health care provider every 3 months for the following:
• Follow up visits
• HIV tests
• PrEP refills
a. Many insurance plans cover the cost of PrEP. There are also many health programs that provide PrEP for free or at a reduced cost. Many of our patients end up paying very little or nothing at all for PrEP.
b. Please note, you will not be turned away if you are currently uninsured. Our certified enrollment counselors will help you explore your coverage options and will help you enroll in a health plan or program to help cover your PrEP costs. To explore your health coverage options click here.
PrEP is safe and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for individuals who have a high HIV risk. Some users experience side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, stomach pain and headache. These symptoms typically diminish over time. Your provider will continue to monitor your side effects after starting PrEP.
PrEP includes the use of antiretroviral medications which shield your body’s cells from being infected by HIV in the event that they are exposed to the virus.
PrEP does not prevent HIV after exposure, but PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) can be taken within 72 hours after exposure to prevent HIV. If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, call your doctor immediately.
No, you only need to take PrEP during periods of high-risk behavior, or during periods when your healthcare provider deems it beneficial given your lifestyle. PrEP does not need to be taken for your entire life.
PrEP reduces your risk of getting infected with HIV via sexual contact by 99%, and reduces your risk of getting infected with HIV via needle/syringe injection by 74%
PrEP reached maximum protection for anal sex roughly seven days after daily use, and 21 days for vaginal sex and injection drug use.
While PrEP is up to 99% effective in preventing HIV, it is best used in conjunction with condoms. PrEP is not an alternative to using condoms, which prevent other STDs. PrEP does not prevent other STDs.
You cannot get HIV from someone who uses PrEP consistently and correctly.
Please note: PrEP is never prescribed to individuals with HIV and maximum HIV protection is reached after taking PrEP for roughly 7-21 days.
The CDC recommends talking with your doctor if you are a woman who is trying to get pregnant and has a partner who is HIV-positive. PrEP may be an option to protect you and your baby from HIV transmission.
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is antiretroviral medication that is taken to prevent HIV after a potential exposure. PEP is for emergency situations and should be taken within 72 hours of being exposed or possibly being exposed to HIV or within 2 hours after a needlestick injury or injection. If you are prescribed PEP you will have to take it daily for 28 hours. While PEP is effective at preventing HIV when taken correctly, it is not 100%.
If you believe you have recently been exposed to HIV you should speak to a medical professional at NEVHC as soon as possible: (818) 923-9160
Call us as soon as possible after a potential HIV exposure: (818) 923-9160. Our health care staff will help you book an appointment and guide you through the next steps.
Please Note: At the moment, PEP is only available at our Van Nuys Adult Health Center.
If you believe you were exposed to HIV Friday or Saturday night it is best to visit an emergency room or urgent care to get started on PEP.
The cost of PEP will depend on your health coverage, but there are easy ways to get free or low-cost PEP regardless of your health coverage.
i. If you do not have health coverage, our enrollment specialists can help you apply for free PEP through medication assistance programs. These requests can be handled urgently to avoid a delay in starting PEP. NEVHC will work with you to get you started on PEP as soon as possible.
ii. If you have been exposed to HIV due to a sexual assault, you may qualify for total or partial reimbursement for PEP and the clinical care cost. See resources in your area here.
iii. If you have been exposed to HIV while at work, your workplace health insurance or workers’ compensation will usually pay for PEP.
PEP works by stopping HIV from replicating after a recent exposure. The cells originally infected with HIV die naturally within a short period of time before the virus has a chance to establish itself in the body.
After beginning to take PEP, your doctor will conduct follow up HIV testing in 4-6 weeks. Typically, another HIV test will be conducted 3 months later. It is important to get follow-up HIV tests to ensure the effectiveness of PEP.
If you miss a dose of PEP, it is best to take the pill as soon as you remember. Do not double your next dose.
No, PEP is a medication taken 1-2 times a day for at least 28 days after starting the medication.
Unsafe sex while you or someone else is taking PEP could still allow HIV into the body. Do not engage in unsafe sex while on PEP.
No. PEP is not available over-the-counter and must be prescribed by a licensed health care provider.
HIV takes a few days to completely replicate in the body following exposure. PEP works over a 28-day treatment to prevent HIV-infected cells from replicating in the body. After treatment your doctor will schedule follow up HIV tests to ensure you are HIV-negative
Common side effects include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, headaches and diarrhea. Approximately 40% of people who take PEP experience side effects, but most side effects are mild.
PEP failure can occur if you do not take PEP as prescribed or if the initial viral load (amount of HIV) is too high for PEP to be effective. In rare instances, some anti-HIV medications do not work against certain strains of HIV. The sooner you start PEP the better your chances are of staying HIV-negative.
Yes. Since PEP works to eventually kill off HIV-infected cells in the body, the virus cannot build immunity from the medication. If you have taken PEP in the past and encounter a new exposure to HIV, PEP will work to prevent HIV caused by the new exposure.
There are different versions of PEP medication. If you are early in pregnancy and have been exposed to HIV, your doctor will prescribe a version of PEP that is preferential for pregnant women and poses a lower risk of birth defects. Non-pregnant women should abstain from trying to get pregnant until the PEP treatment is completed.
Our health educators are here to help. Request for more information or submit your question and we’ll get back to you within 24 hrs.
When you call our Sexual Health Hotline, a health educator can help you schedule an appointment and answer any questions you have about HIV prevention.
Sexual Health Hotline
Monday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
NEVHC is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n) with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.
Northeast Valley Health Corporation was incorporated in 1971 by a group of San Fernando Valley civic leaders who envisioned establishing a healthcare system that catered to the medical needs of the local community. They opened San Fernando Health Center in 1973 and celebrated its dedication with the late U.S. Senator Ted. Kennedy. Today, NEVHC has grown to 14 health centers in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys and continue to serve the uninsured and the medically underserved patients with limited financial resources. Nearly 70,000 patients receive medical, dental and behavioral health care at our health centers every year. NEVHC, one of the nation’s largest community health centers, is a nonprofit Joint Commission accredited Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).
NEVHC is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n) with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.
A Joint Commission Accredited Organization
Health Center Quality Leader
