SALINAS, Calif.- The Monterey County Public Health Department said syphilis is on the rise and it's up 1600% over the past five years. Santa Cruz County is also seeing an increase in cases for STD's among teens. In order to fight the growing trend of STD one local group is asking teens to help in the fight to make a difference with their classmates.
Talking about STD's isn't a comfortable subject for anyone. But Alisal High School senior Karina Vega is making it easier for her classmates to ask questions.
"I guess kids are more scared to bring up the dilemma of STD's because maybe they haven't heard of it, or they might be scared that they have been sexually active and not protected and they maybe already have one," said Karina.
Karina is a peer counselor through a county program called Postpone. She heads up presentations on campus covering STD's and teen pregnancy twice a month. The Monterey County Health Department said they need more kids like her to get the word out about prevention.
"Funding has been cut, the county has been impacted and so have the organizations in schools that provide the resources to the public," said Monterey County deputy health officer Lisa Hernandez.
Usually there's only one or two cases of syphilis a year. But over the past five years they've seen a big jump, there's already been 8 so far this year. The group being hit the hardest? Young men who have sex with other men between the ages 15 to 24. The health department said state budget cuts are making the problem worse. But the biggest problem is a lack of sex education in high schools and colleges.
"You know the bowls that we used to see at the clinics that had free condoms in them, they're empty," Hernandez said.
"I always say that if they have it, its better to get it checked out, or come to us, we are totally confidential," Vega said.
If you're looking for someone to talk with about STD's or teen pregnancy, you can call the Monterey County Health Department's Postpone program at 831-755-4649. Everything is confidential and you can get a referral for a free clinic visit.
