A teen clinic called myHealth, located in Hopkins, recently redirected more of it’s attention toward it’s male clients in order to better service them.

Clinic Nurse & Site Coordinator Amanda Smalling said myHealth is a clinic available to girls and boys ages 12-23.

“Most people come in for reproductive health care. That includes birth control, STD testing and pregnancy testing,” Smalling said. “We also do minor medical care services, such as a sports physicals, treating asthma symptoms or rashes. We have nurses on staff, doctors and nurse practitioners and a medical lab.”

Smalling said myHealth started Guy Health when they noticed a lack of males coming into the clinic.

“The reason we started Guy Health is because 90% of our clients are females. We thought something was missing because the male partners should be coming in too, but we just weren’t seeing them,” Smalling said. “The whole point of starting Guy Health was that we wanted to offer testing that was free, where we would go to the guys so it would be easier and more accessible.”

Smalling said guys can access the same services as girls at the clinic, but Guy Health is a program that goes directly to the guys for those who are embarrassed to be seen at the clinic. Some of the places the program is currently located is a fraternity at the University of Minnesota and the apartments at Meadowbrook in St. Louis Park.

“Guy Health is specifically STD testing. We have to make it really simple because we have an outreach worker go to the group wherever the guys are,” Smalling said. “Guys can just leave a urine sample at the station and we’ll take it back to be tested so they don’t have to go anywhere or pay anything.”

Senior Dave Herrera is part of the youth advisory board at myHealth. He said the board does a lot to make certain aspects of the clinic relatable and appealing to teens.

“My job as an advisor is to raise money and awareness for the clinic. Also, whenever we want to update the website or give out any flyers, they run those past the youth advisory board first to make sure they’re eye catching to teenagers and that they’re not too boring or serious,” Herrera said.

Herrera said he thinks Guy Health is important because not everyone realizes their risk for contracting an STI.

“STIs are extremely possible and people think ‘that’s not gonna be me.’ It can be anyone and this is just another step to take in your sexual education and health,” Herrera said.

Smalling said many guys think the clinic is mostly for girls and are therefore intimidated to go in for testing or other services.

“The message we want to send with Guy Health is that we’re not only a place for girls to get birth control. We’re here for guys too, we want them to come in, ask questions and get health care too,” Smalling said.