BINGHAMTON — Family Planning of South Central New York has been awarded a $1.2 million dollar, five-year grant by the AIDS Institute of the NYS Department of Health to provide enhanced Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), HIV, and Hepatitis C services for the Southern Tier Region.

Currently, Family Planning has medical centers in Binghamton, Oneonta, Norwich, Sidney, and Walton, with a sixth soon to open in Cortland. This grant will allow Family Planning to additionally serve patients from Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties.

“We are delighted to receive this grant,” said Allison Swift, N.P., Director of Patient Services at Family Planning. “This funding allows us continue to provide the highest quality medical care to even more patients, including annual exams, birth control, cancer screenings, pregnancy testing, and options counseling, STI testing and treatment, and rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing, with the significant addition of prescribing antiretrovirals to patients testing positive for HIV."

With this grant, Family Planning of South Central NY will become one of the very few medical providers in the Southern Tier region offering rapid initiation of such medication — the same day the patient tests positive.

Family Planning is partnering with a variety of other health and human service organizations to address the social determinants of health that could be barriers to accessing this critical medical care.

Agreements are in place with Chenango Health Network, Delaware Opportunities, Family and Children's Counseling Services, Family Enrichment Network, Southern Tier AIDS Program, and Tioga Opportunities and Legal Services of Central New York.

Family Planning of South Central NY provides high quality, affordable reproductive health care and education in Binghamton, Oneonta, Norwich, Sidney, and Walton — and will soon be opening a sixth medical center in downtown Cortland.

All medical services are overseen by a Board Certified Gynecologist. Medical services are provided on a sliding fee scale. Insurance and Medicaid are welcome.

Learn more about Family Planning of South Central New York by visiting FPSCNY.org.

-Information provided by Family Planning of South Central NY