Kenyon offers a number of resources to foster HIV prevention across our campus community and actively supports HIV prevention efforts across the region. Below, you can explore HIV prevention resources like free safer sex supplies and pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, information for HIV-positive members of our community and details about some of our work in the broader community.
Jump to:
- Free Safer Sex Supplies
- Comprehensive and Inclusive Safer Sex Information
- Know Your Status
- PrEP at Kenyon
- PEP at Kenyon
- HIV-related care on campus
- Mental Health Resources for HIV-Positive People
- HIV/AIDS Advocacy on Campus and Beyond
Free Safer Sex Supplies
Free safer sex supplies are available at a number of campus locations, including the Cox Health and Counseling Center, the Crozier Center for Women, and Unity House. At both the Crozier Center for Women and Unity House, free safer sex supplies — such as latex and non-latex condoms, insertable condoms, water-based and silicone-based lubricant, and dental dams — are available.
Additionally, both the Crozier Center for Women and Unity House offer free safer sex kits, which come with the following items conveniently packaged together: information about safer sex practices and affirmative consent, multiple condoms, a sachet of lubricant, information about how to use a condom, and tips for how to discuss sexual history with a partner.
To pick up your free safer sex supplies, stop by any of these locations and simply take what you need.
Comprehensive and Inclusive Safer Sex Information
Kenyon strives to ensure that all members of the campus community have comprehensive and inclusive information about sexual health and well-being. Information about practical safer sex practices, healthy relationships and HIV/STI prevention are available across campus.
The Crozier Center for Women and Unity House have a variety of inclusive resources about safer sex practices, including information about different types of lubricant, condoms and relationship communication. Both also offer inclusive and non-stigmatizing information about HIV and STIs and information about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Comprehensive and inclusive information about safer sex is also available through the Cox Health and Counseling Center. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has partnered with the center to host on-going training opportunities, often led by the staff at Equitas Health. The partnership is a part of a continued commitment to ensure that our campus provides comprehensive and inclusive information about sexual health and well-being to all students.
Know Your Status
Knowing your HIV status is important for your own sexual and physical health, in addition to the health of your sexual partner(s). At Kenyon, HIV testing is provided at the Cox Health and Counseling Center, and we’re excited to share that the campus has recently upgraded to antigen/antibody HIV testing, which provide lab-quality results in roughly 30 minutes.
We also regularly work with community partners, such as Knox Public Health, to provide confidential HIV testing clinics to campus at no charge. For resources from their agency, visit the Knox Public Health webpage. For more information on these upcoming HIV testing clinics, refer to the Kenyon events calendar.
Additionally, students and community members may also request a free, at-home HIV test kit from the Ohio HIV Hotline.
PrEP at Kenyon
PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis, prescribed as either Truvada or Descovy, is a once a day pill to reduce your risk of acquiring HIV, even if you come into contact with the virus. It is not a replacement for safer sex tools like condoms, but it can be a part of a safer sex strategy, before sexual contact occurs.
For more information on PrEP, speak to your medical provider. To schedule an on-campus appointment to learn more about PrEP, contact the Cox Health and Counseling Center. To schedule a telehealth appointment to learn more about PrEP, contact Equitas Health’s TelePrEP Program.
For students with Kenyon’s health insurance plan, Truvada is classified as a Tier I drug, and Descovy is classified as a Tier II drug. As of July 2021, the co-pay for Truvada for PrEP under this health insurance plan is $0. With the resources shared below, students with Kenyon’s health insurance plan may also be able to obtain Descovy for PrEP for as low as $0/month.
Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of both Truvada and Descovy, has a patient assistance program for persons with health insurance plans that do not cover the full cost of Truvada or Descovy as PrEP. By completing a short and straightforward enrollment form, students can apply for a coupon co-pay card from Gilead Sciences, which can help to cover some of the prescription costs related to either Truvada or Descovy for PrEP.
Additionally, there are also a number of patient assistance programs at the federal and state level to offset the costs of Truvada or Descovy for PrEP. In Ohio, the Dept. of Health has launched a program, Prevention Assistance Program Interventions (PAPI), which is a state-wide PrEP assistance program. Information about accessing this resource is also available from the Ohio HIV Hotline.
Finally, there is a new federal program, Ready, Set, PrEP, from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. This program can assist enrollees with finding a provider, offsetting the costs of PrEP for qualified individuals, and more.
The staff at the Cox Health and Counseling Center and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion can assist students with navigating these resources.
For students with a different health insurance plan, Truvada and/or Descovy for PrEP may or may not be covered. However, recent guidance from the federal government, as noted below, has increased access to HIV prevention medications through nearly all health insurers across the country. If it is not covered, students with a different health insurance plan may still be able to obtain Truvada or Descovy for PrEP for as low as $0/month.
As noted above, Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of both Truvada and Descovy, has a patient assistance program for persons with health insurance plans that do not cover the full cost of Truvada and/or Descovy as PrEP. By completing a short and straightforward enrollment form, students can apply for a coupon co-pay card from Gilead Sciences, which can help to cover some of the prescription costs related to either Truvada or Descovy for PrEP.
Additionally, there are also a number of patient assistance programs at the federal and state level to offset the costs of Truvada or Descovy for PrEP. In Ohio, the Dept. of Health has launched a program, Prevention Assistance Program Interventions (PAPI), which is a state-wide PrEP assistance program. Information about accessing this resource is also available from the Ohio HIV Hotline.
Finally, there is a new federal program, Ready, Set, PrEP, from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. This program can assist enrollees with finding a provider, offsetting the costs of PrEP for qualified individuals, and more.
The staff at the Cox Health and Counseling Center and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion can assist students with navigating these resources.
In summer 2021, the federal government announced that nearly all health insurers across the country must provide 1) coverage for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with no cost sharing and 2) coverage for related clinical visits and laboratory tests on a quarterly basis with no cost sharing. Insurers were granted 60 days from July 19, 2021 to comply with the new mandate (PDF). For informational updates related to coverage under your specific health insurance plan, reach out to the plan administrator, via the phone number on your insurance card, directly.
PEP at Kenyon
PEP or post-exposure prophylaxis, commonly prescribed as Truvada and Isentress, is a set of medications that can be taken after possible exposure to HIV. These medications help decrease your risk of becoming HIV-positive, even after exposure. Generally, a round of PEP is prescribed for roughly 28 days to ensure optimal effectiveness.
PEP is not a replacement for other safer sex tools like condoms, but it can be part of your safer sex strategy, if you believe you may have come into contact with HIV (i.e. through unprotected sex, condom breakage, etc.). According to the CDC, PEP is highly effective and works best when taken 24-72 hours after possible exposure to HIV. Remember, the sooner you take PEP, the better.
At Kenyon, PEP can be acquired by visiting the emergency room at Knox Community Hospital in Mount Vernon or by contacting either Equitas Health or Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio in Columbus. As PEP needs to be administered within the first 72 hours of possible exposure to HIV, please access this resource as quickly as possible.
Upon leaving the emergency room or medical provider's office, you may be provided with either a prescription or a volume of medication deemed appropriate by the provider. To ensure your ability to cover the costs of the medication, it is highly recommended that you 1) familiarize yourself with your insurance coverage as it applies to PEP, and 2) consult the resources linked below.
For students needing financial assistance as it relates to PEP, please contact either the Cox Health and Counseling Center and/or the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion during college business hours. Learn more about financial resources to reduce the cost of PEP.
To discuss how to access resources available in the area, stop by either the Cox Health and Counseling Center or the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
HIV-Related Care on Campus
In addition to providing a number of tools to foster HIV prevention on campus, Kenyon College has a student health insurance plan that offers comprehensive care options for students who are HIV-positive.
Under our student health insurance plan, the following are Tier I drugs, meaning they are $10 or less/month: abacavir-lamivudine, lamivudine, nevirapine, nevirapine ER, Truvada, and zidovudine. Additionally, our student health insurance plan also covers the following Tier II drugs, which are $30/month: Descovy, Isentress, Isentress HD, Norvir, Prezista, and Selzentry. Finally, our student health insurance plan covers the following Tier III drugs for $50/month: Atripla, Complera, Evotaz, Genvoya, Intelence, Odefsey, Prezcobix, Reyataz, Stribild, Sustiva, Tivicay, Triumeq, and Viread.
If you are an HIV-positive student and have questions about these medications, speak to your medical provider or contact either AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) or Equitas Health in Columbus.
To discuss how to access resources available in the area, stop by either the Cox Health and Counseling Center or the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Mental Health Resources for HIV-Positive People
In addition to the regularly trained staff at the Cox Health and Counseling Center and a variety of on-campus mental health resources, there are also a variety of off-campus and community mental health resources that may be of interest to Kenyon’s HIV-positive community. Some of these resources have been listed below, and for additional resources to support your mental health and wellbeing, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Equitas Health: The state’s leading LGBTQ+ and HIV-related healthcare provider, Equitas Health, provides both physical and mental healthcare at their locations across the state of Ohio. The closest locations for mental healthcare services are the Equitas Health locations in Newark, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio. For more information about this resource, visit the Equitas Health webpage.
Just Us! A Positive Space for Black Women with Equitas Health: Equitas Health regularly hosts a support group for Black women living with HIV/AIDS, and this group is open to any HIV-positive person who identifies as a Black woman. For more information about this resource, visit the Equitas Health webpage.
Living Positively HIV/AIDS Support Group with Equitas Health: Equitas Health regularly hosts a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS, and this group is open to people who are newly diagnosed, living undetectable, and long-term survivors. For more information about this resource, visit the Equitas Health webpage.
OHIV Hotline: The OHIV Hotline, which is funded by the Ohio Dept. of Health, also provides 24/7 confidential assistance to people with questions related to HIV/AIDS. For more information about his resource, visit the OHIV Hotine webpage.
The POZ Initiative: The POZ Initiative of Columbus also regularly hosts peer support and discussion groups, which are open to people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information about this resource, visit the POZ Initiative webpage.
Women’s HIV/AIDS Support Group with Equitas Health: Equitas Health also regularly hosts a support group for women living with HIV/AIDS, and this group is open to any HIV-positive person who identifies as a woman. For more information about this resource, visit the Equitas Health webpage.
HIV/AIDS Advocacy on Campus and Beyond
Members of the Kenyon community regularly engage in HIV/AIDS advocacy on campus and beyond, and as one of the inaugural founding institutions of A Day Without Art in 1989, we are proud to continue building upon Kenyon’s legacy of HIV/AIDS advocacy.
In addition to our annual recognition of World AIDS Day, Kenyon proudly coordinates a team for AIDS Walk Ohio each year. At this annual event, people from across Ohio raise funds for Equitas Health and other HIV/AIDS service providers across the state, and we’re proud to share that our team has raised nearly $7,500 for this cause since 2019.
We’re also proud to share that HIV/AIDS advocacy also occurs in a number of other ways across campus. For instance, the Gund Gallery hosted Kenyon-specific panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt for LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week in spring 2020, and we regularly lead HIV prevention programs across the campus community. And finally, we’re also proud to share that members of the Kenyon campus community were also represented in the OHIV Program’s Ohio Youth Leadership Summit in summer 2020.