Dear Colleague,

April is STD Awareness Month. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, this year’s efforts will focus on the relationship between healthcare providers and patients with the 2018 theme: Treat Me Right.

For providers, ‘Treat Me Right’ is an opportunity to ensure that they have the needed tools to properly detect and treat infections. It also, however, presents an opportunity to share resources about how to build door-to-door trust with patients that extends from the waiting room to the exam room, as well as how to engage with patients in a way that makes them feel heard and respected.

This year’s theme also opens the door to encourage patients to learn about STDs and STD prevention, but just as importantly, to empower them to ask their provider what they can do – and how they can work together – to stay safe and healthy.

With STDs at a record high in the United States, working together has never been more important. That’s true for providers and patients, yes, but also for us here at CDC, and in health departments and community-based organizations.

We are so grateful for the important work that you do, and thank you for once again joining us to get vital STD prevention messages and resources in the hands of those who need them most.

How you can get involved

As you are mapping out your STD Awareness Month plans, take a look at the following tools for your use:

• The STD Awareness Month website has been overhauled for 2018 to flesh out this year’s theme and includes key messages and resources for patients and providers alike.
• CDC prevention resources to share with your partners, member groups, communities, and others or to post to your website! There are updated fact sheets, brochures, online banners, STD testing site locators and much more.
• Syndicated website content for your use to ensure your website contains the most recent CDC STD information.
• Sample tweets and Facebook posts to use throughout April for those of you on social media. Please use #STDMonth18 and #TreatMeRight when promoting STD Awareness Month.
• Treat Me Right graphics for your website to help promote this year’s theme. Profiles and cover/header images are also available for your Twitter and Facebook pages!
• A Thunderclap, in which you can participate and help amplify Treat Me Right messages across multiple social media platforms (see the Thunderclap website for more information).

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to STD Prevention.

Best Regards,

Gail Bolan, MD
Director, Division of STD Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis,
STD and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention