[KHTS] – The SCV Pregnancy Center in Valencia, which provides free pregnancy testing and counseling services to girls and women in the Santa Clarita Valley, will begin offering HIV screenings on Tuesday.

While supplies last, residents can schedule an appointment for a free HIV screening between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There are only 100 free screenings available, but the Pregnancy Center has offered low cost STD testing since March.

HIV tests are $12 each, and comprehensive tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea cost $40 each.

“The only way to know you have HIV is to be tested,” said Pregnancy Center CEO Angela Bennett. “Many people with HIV don’t have any symptoms. In the United States, 1 in 5 people living with HIV don’t know they’ve contracted the virus. Our center is dedicated to offering services like HIV screenings to discourage the spread of this virus in the Santa Clarita Valley.”

All test results are kept confidential.

For more information about the SCV Pregnancy Center and the services they provide, click here or call 661-255-0082.

About the SCV Pregnancy Center

The SCV Pregnancy Center was started in 1987 by a small group of Santa Clarita residents who wanted to provide free pregnancy testing services, options and services to teens and women. SCVPC increased services to include limited obstetrical ultrasounds in 2008 and in March 2014 added STD testing.

Since its inception, the SCVPC has served more 17,000 local teens and women. The center’s mission is to provide medical services in a caring and professional atmosphere to those facing unplanned pregnancy and sexual health decisions.