ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo — Free emergency contraception kits are now available at the St. Louis County Department of Health (DPH) centers.

As part of the Missouri Family Health Council’s Free EC initiative, the kits include levonorgestrel, or known as Plan B, and are used by women to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or birth control failure, according to a press release.

“Emergency contraception is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy,” the press release states. “They are free to anyone who asks, and no information will be collected from recipients.”

The kits are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the John C. Murphy Health Center in Berkeley, the North Central Community Health Center in Jennings, and the South County Health Center in Sunset Hills.

“In March, I signed an executive order committing St. Louis County to the reproductive and sexual health services it currently provides while working to expand services in an equitable way to address health and racial disparities,” St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said.

“Making emergency contraception free and accessible is a responsible public health decision. Thank you to the Missouri Family Health Council for making this possible.”

DPH operates a sexual health clinic and offers comprehensive family planning services as part of Title X and the Right Time initiative, according to the press release, in addition to managing the Nurse Family Partnership home visiting program.

“DPH has been a consistent champion of access to reproductive health care in the St. Louis region, and we are thrilled to be part of a project that will increase the availability of sexual and reproductive health care at a time when access to this care is under attack,” DPH Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham said.