The Meadows Center for Health Resources houses the Wellness Resource Center and the Substance Abuse Resource Center.

Wellness encompasses a broad range of preventative heath measures that promote good physical and mental health, mostly involving lifestyle choices. Wellness embraces health education and health promotion in areas, such as nutrition and fitness, substance abuse education and women and men's health, sexual and reproductive health, and mental and emotional health.

The Meadows Center for Health Resources is dedicated to providing a wide array of health and wellness services, programs,and activities with sensitivity to gender, race, sexual orientation, culture, religion, and individual capabilities. The Meadows Center for Health Resources is staffed by a professional staff that includes a licensed social worker, massage therapist, and support staff.

• Active Minds
• American College Counseling Association
• American Association of Suicidology
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• American Psychiatric Association
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill - treatment options
P: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
• National Institute of Mental Health DHC-U43
• National Mental Health Association
• SAMHSA National Mental Health Information Center - treatment options
• SAFE Alternatives (Self-Abuse Finally Ends)

• National Eating Disorder Association
• National Institute of Mental Health
• National Eating Disorder Information Center
• Healthy Recovery Eating Disorder Forum
• Eating Disorder Referral
• Personal ED Site – Recovery is Possible

• Al-Anon Group Headquarters, Inc- treatment options
WSO@al-anon.org
• Alcoholics Anonymous - treatment options
P: 212-870-3400
• American Council on Alcoholism- treatment options
P: 1-800-527-5344
• BACCHUS and GAMA Peer Education Network
• Facts on Tap- Alcohol and Your College Experience
• Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Education Development Center, Inc.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• College Drinking- Changing the Culture
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
• Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• 4th Dimension (Trinity United Methodist Church)

The Meadows Center has developed a comprehensive program to address sexual and reproductive health concerns. The following services and programs are available.

• Health Awareness and Education
• Professional speakers are available to speak on a variety of health topics.
• Peer Education
• Our Next Educators (ONE) is available to provide outreach activities, information, and referral about health topics.

• Request a speaker for your group, residence hall, or class.
• Each presentation is personalized to meet your needs.
• Variety of Topics
• Safer sex and condom demonstrations
• Safer sex packet available with educational programs
• STI/STD prevention
• Sexual decision making
• Abstinence support
• Women's health education
• Contraceptive options
• Relationship violence risk reduction
• Sexual assault risk reduction

• Registered HIV counselors
• Pre and post-test counseling
• Same day results
• Free safer sex packet

STDs/STIs affect people of all ages, backgrounds, and all walks of life. About half of the 19 million new cases each year occur among persons 15-24 years of age. STDs/STIs are generally grouped into two categories, bacterial and viral.

• Bacterial Infections
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Viral Infections
• Herpes
• HPV
• HIV
• Hepatitis B and C

Chlamydia, the most common STI in the US, is most often seen in young women aged 14-24. However, men can also have Chlamydia without symptoms.

• Spread through unprotected sex
• Symptoms
• Vaginal discharge
• Burning during urination
• Bleeding after sexual intercourse
• Increases the risk of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease that can cause
• Infertility
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Treated with antibiotics
• Annual testing recommended for women

• Spread through unprotected sex
• Symptoms
• Pain/burning during urination
• Bleeding between periods
• May be asymptomatic
• Treated with antibiotics

• Spread when an infected sore (chancre) comes into contact with the skin or mucous of an infected person
• Treatable and curable
• Symptoms
• Primary stage
• Sores (chancres) on genitals, mouth or anus
• Secondary Stage (3 to 6 weeks after primary stage)
• Rashes on the palms or bottom of feet
• Hair loss
• headaches, fever, and sore throat
• Aches in bones
• Swollen joints
• Latent Stage (2 to 30 years after primary stage)
• Arthritis
• Blindness
• Heart disease
• Mental illness
• Death

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV):

• Spread by skin to skin transmission
• Most common viral STD/STI in the US
• Over 60 different strains
• Often Asymptomatic (NO SYMPTOMS)
• Some strains are linked to cervical cancer
• May be present in up to 50% of the population
• May cause genital warts

The Student health and Wellness Center provides the recently released HPV Vaccine. Ask your provider about the HPV Vaccine for women. For more information go to http://www.gardasil.com/

• Spread by direct skin to skin contact and by sexual activity
• Viral
• Asymptomatic
• 25% of the population may be infected
• Can be spread without visible symptoms
• Antiviral medication may shorten outbreaks and reduce chance of reoccurrence

• Transmitted through blood, sexual fluids, and breast milk
• Weakens the immune system

For more information about STDs/STIs, visit the American Social Health Agency at www.ashastd.org

Often students request a test for all STDs/STIs. Unfortunately, there is not one simple test that will test for all STDs/STIs. We encourage you to talk with your medical provider to determine what tests are appropriate for you. STDs/STIs are often asymptomatic, but can still be spread even without symptoms.

The best way to avoid transmission of an STI/STD is to abstain from sexual activity, or to only have sex with a mutually monogamous partner, who has been tested and is not infected with an STI/STD. The male latex condom when used consistently and correctly is highly effective in reducing the risk of STDs/STIs and HIV.

• Use only latex or polyurethane (plastic) condoms
• Keep condoms in a cool and dry place
• Put the condom on an erect (hard) penis before there is any contact with a partner's genitals
• Use plenty of water-based lubricant (like KY Jelly ® or Astroglide ®) with latex condoms
• Squeeze the air out of the tip of the condom when rolling it over the erect (hard) penis allowing room for the semen (cum)
• Hold the condom in place at the base of the penis before withdrawing (pulling out) after sex
• Throw condom away after it's been used

• DON'T use out of date condoms
• Check the expiration date carefully
• Old condoms can be dry, brittle or weakened and can break more easily
• DON'T unroll the condom before putting it on the erect penis
• DON'T leave condoms in hot places like your wallet or in your car
• DON'T use oil-based products like, baby or cooking oils, hand lotion or petroleum jelly (like Vaseline ®) as lubricants with latex condoms
• The oil quickly weakens latex and can cause condoms to break
• DON'T use your fingernails or teeth when opening a condom wrapper
• It's very easy to tear the condom inside
• If you do tear a condom while opening the wrapper, throw that condom away and get a new one
• DON'T reuse a condom
• Always use a new condom for each kind of sex you have
• DON'T regularly use lubricants with spermicide called nonoxynol-9 ("N-9")
• They may cause skin irritation or tiny abrasions that make the genital skin more susceptible to STI's/STD's