Students of any age are now able to go to the Heartland Health Clinic at Niles West and obtain services for reproductive health. These services include STD testing, birth control, and condoms.
Anyone above the age of 12 under Illinois State Law can consent as an adult because of minor consent laws.
“We’re not a title ten clinic, but we have what’s called minor consent laws. By law in Illinois, if you are 12 or older and seeking reproductive services, you can consent as an adult. This means parents can’t access the information, bills aren’t sent to the house, and it’s of no cost,” certified physician assistant Elizabeth Finck said.
Not only does it provide reproductive services for girls, but boys as well.
“We also have condoms for male students and birth control pills and birth control shots,” she said.
Heartland in Niles West isn’t the only place students can get help. There is another Heartland Health Center in the city, which provides other types of contraception that are not yet allowed in West’s facility.
“We can arrange for the title ten clinic in the city and arrange for appointments for IUD contraception or arm implants for longer term birth control but we can’t do it yet in this clinic,” Finck said.
While what Heartland is doing is completely legal, some of the doctors do fear backlash.
“There could potentially be backlash, but we haven’t been advertising it highly. We wanted to get the message to students first,” she said. “But we’re ready if there is but we’re prepared to say it’s a state law, and we have to abide by the law.”
Because some parents may not be okay with the easy access to birth control, Heartland provides counseling for students to talk to their parents or a trusted adult on how to start a conversation.
“If you’re 12 or older and have questions about birth control or pregnancy the state law says you’re an adult. But we encourage counseling with it so that you’re talking with a parent or older sibling to help support you in your decisions. We help facilitate discussions if you want to talk to your parents about it. You’re still young, and these are big decisions to make on your own,” Finck said.
Heartland Health Centers that have been instilled in other schools in the city have seen positive results.
“Pregnancy rates dropped extraordinarily once clinics were there,” she said. Some of the schools included in this are Senn High School and Roosevelt High School.
Not everyone thinks it will be an all-around positive situation.
“I think it’s very helpful in certain contexts and it can create familial or personal issues in other contexts. It’s really a case-by-case basis,” assistant principal Antwan Babakhani said.
Many believe whether it’s good or bad is based on familial relationships.
“I think it’s kind of good and bad on both sides. If you’re scared to talk to your parents, but need it, it’s a good thing. On the other hand, parents should know because they know what’s best for their child and their child should follow what they’re saying,” senior Hannah Tinder.
But others think it will be negative.
“It’s a bad thing because then it increases the number of kids having sex,” senior Csarene Laguardia said.
