What is the Partner Services Program (PSP)?
When people in Massachusetts are diagnosed with one of several sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the Massachusetts Department of Public Health provides sexual health services. These services are all free, voluntary, and confidential. If you have been diagnosed with HIV or another STD, someone from our team of specially trained staff can:
- Answer your questions about STDs
- Help you get medical care or treatment
- Help tell sexual partners that they might have been exposed to an STD
- Help partners get testing and medical care
- Help you and your partners prevent STDs in the future
How will the Partner Services Program help me?
We can be helpful in many ways. One of us will contact you to talk about:
- The testing and treatment you received and/or the ongoing medical care you may need
- How to get other services you may need
- How to tell your partners they may have been exposed to an STD
- Options for anonymous partner notification
- How to prevent getting and passing STDs when having sex
- Where to get condoms and other prevention tools
What should I expect during outreach?
You may be contacted if:
- You are named as a sexual and/or needle-sharing partner by someone who tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and/or HIV. Partner Services will reach out to you to alert you to the exposure and discuss testing and treatment options.
- You test positive for an STI and/or HIV. Partner Services may reach out to you to offer support such as linkage to care, referrals for additional testing and/or treatment, and case management services, etc. Our team can also help answer your questions and discuss ways to help prevent further transmission.
As part of outreach, staff may ask questions to better understand your symptoms, STI and HIV status, and identify any partners who may have been exposed. You may also be asked to verify basic information, such as your first and last name, date of birth, and address. Additionally, staff may ask about your current testing history, recent travel, and any resources you may need to stay safe.
How will I be contacted?
Our partner services outreach is run by members of the Division of STD Prevention and HIV Surveillance (DSTDP) at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and led by trained epidemiologists—public health professionals who track and investigate patterns of disease to identify exposures, provide support, and connect individuals to care. You may be contacted by text, email, or phone call. In some cases, an in-person visit may be scheduled to support your health and help reduce the spread of STIs and HIV.
You may be contacted by:
- Phone call from a DPH epidemiologist
- Text Message sent by a DPH epidemiologist
- Email from a DPH epidemiologist
- Letter from a DPH epidemiologist
- Field visit from a DPH epidemiologist
- For high-priority cases, we may use other means to contact you when traditional outreach methods have been exhausted
Interpretation services are available in Spanish, Portuguese, and many other languages.
All calls will begin with the person introducing themselves and their role at the Department of Public Health. As part of the call, we will also ask you to confirm your date of birth to ensure we are speaking with the correct person. If you’re ever unsure about a call, text, letter, or visit, and wish to verify that you are being contacted by a legitimate DPH staff person, please call our Partner Services & Reporting Line at (617) 983-6999 to speak with a senior member of our team.
How will telling my partners help me?
People tell us that it can feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even scary to think about how to tell partners they might have been exposed to HIV or another STD, but we are here to make it easier. We can talk to your partners for you (without telling them anything about you) or help you talk to them yourself. Telling them is important because:
- you are less likely to get another STD in the future if they get tested and treated
- Letting them know gives them a chance to take care of their health
If I want you to talk to my partners, what will you do?
When we talk to your partners, we won’t tell them your name, gender, or anything about you at all. We won’t even tell them the date they may have been exposed. Instead, we will:
- Let them know that they might have been exposed to an STD
- Help them get testing and medical care if needed
- Help them prevent getting or passing STDs in the future
Where can I get more information?
Visit our partner services pages for more information or call (617) 983-6999.
How can I tell if this outreach is legitimate?
Before reaching out to you, DPH epidemiologists will oftentimes be in touch with your provider about your diagnosis. All outreach from Partner Services is confidential, and we will NEVER ask for the following information:
- Social Security number
- Private financial information or bank details
- Credit card information
- Immigration status
- Passwords or login information
- Payment for services or fees
We may ask about your health, recent partners, and ways we can help connect you to care and support.
If you have concerns and wish to verify that you are being contacted by a legitimate DPH staff person, please call our Partner Services & Reporting Line at (617) 983-6999 to speak with a senior member of our team.