Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Birth Control and Sexual Health Centre
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Birth Control and Venereal Disease Information Centre (now known as the Birth Control and Sexual Health Centre) has been serving the North York community since 1972 and provides sexual health services to women, men and transgendered clients.
It was the first sexual health centre in North York, at first using a mobile trailer to meet local needs. They initiated one of the first programs for Somali women on female genital mutilation (FGM), providing educational sessions for health care professionals, teachers and community service workers. They also served on the Ministry of Health Task Force on Abortion Access as well as the Task Force on FGM Prevention. The centre became the first anonymous HIV test site in North York and the second in Ontario, leading the Ministry of Health to designate anonymous test sites across the province. They established the first Herpes self help group and published the Herpes Handbook, one of the first resources on the subject. The Centre published pamphlets on sexual health for women with disabilities which were widely distributed. The Centre was a founding member of the Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics which changed the federal regulations on abortion access and led to the establishment of free standing abortion clinics fully covered by OHIP. The centre remains a member of the Network for the Uninsured working to provide health services to those without status.
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Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
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Relationships area
Access points area
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Control area
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Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
2025/04/25 ASO. Creation (based on notes from Suzanne Dubeau).