Gay Men's Health Collective

The Gay Men's Health Collective of the Berkeley Free Clinic provides STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) testing and treatment for all men, regardless of sexual orientation. The clinic operates on a drop-in basis on Sunday evenings from 4-7pm.

We are open from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm every Sunday (including holidays). We recommend you arrive early, as lines usually begin forming outside the front door 20-30 minutes before we open. This will reduce your wait time once inside the clinic, and will improve your probability of being seen.

Men's STI appointments can also be scheduled Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings through the General Medical clinic.

About the Exam

Because the GMHC is run solely by volunteers, we sometimes have limited staffing and therefore CANNOT guarantee every person will be seen. We regret any inconvenience this might cause. All clients who receive a ticket from the GMHC upon entry will be seen, but due to our limited number of exam rooms or volunteer medics, clients might sometimes have as much as a two hour wait before seeing their medic. You are welcome to bring a support person to keep you company, and are encouraged to bring something to read or listen to while you wait.

A routine exam includes the following:

  • Blood test for syphilis
  • Physical exam for bumps or lesions you may not have noticed
  • Checking your urine for signs of infection
  • Education about safer sex and STIs, including HIV

In addition, we can provide:

  • Tests for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the throat and rectum
  • Tests for Herpes if sores are present
  • Diagnosis and treatment for genital or anal warts if they are present

We provide treatment for men with known contact with gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis or Trichomonas vaginalis. Please note, we must repeat tests for STDs that have been diagnosed elsewhere.

All services are confidential and free.

HIV testing offered by the HIV Prevention Services is also available Sunday evenings from 4-7pm and is open to both men and women.  If you wish to make use of both services, it is important that you come right at, or even a little before, 4pm.

When to get tested

We recommend you be tested for STIs if any of the following are true:

  • You are sexually active and have more than one partner, or your partner has more than one partner, irrespective of if you use condoms for all sexual contact
  • You notice a discharge coming from the tip of your penis, an itching or strange feeling inside the penis, or burning or discomfort when you pee.
  • If you notice any new bumps, sores, or rashes, particularly around your genitals, anus, or mouth.
  • If you are beginning a new relationship

About Us

The Gay Men's Health Collective is a group of volunteer lay and professional healthcare workers with focused training and experience in the area of sexually transmitted infection (STI) education, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. We founded the GMHC in 1976 as a response to blatant homophobia in the health care establishment. Our commitment is to provide free, quality, nonjudgmental, STI-related healthcare to men who have sex with men. 

Regarding HIV

For more information about HIV testing, see the HIV Prevention Services page, or call us during our normal phone hours.

Other Important Information About STIs

  • Condoms reduce the risk of getting all STIs other than lice and scabies.  Use them!
  • STIs can be asymptomatic or unnoticed.  Even so, they are still infectious and a threat to you and your partners.
  • Some STIs have classical symptoms, but your symptoms may differ.
  • The best person to diagnose something as an STI or a non-STI is an expert.  We have the necessary expertise.
  • STIs can travel in groups, and getting one can increase your risk of getting others.
  • You can get STIs more than once.  Unlike some other diseases, infection does not impart immunity.
  • Incubation periods for STIs can vary from days to months to years.

Volunteer Information

Are you a gay or bisexual man who is interested in helping to keep our clinic running? Come and volunteer! We train people to help in administrative support, lab work, and being a medic (seeing clients for STD appointments). We can train you to do lab or administrative work at any time. We also are always eager to talk to gay and bi male physicians who might want to help out at our Sunday clinics. 

If you have a strong desire to help other people and are interested in supporting our work, please email us at gmhcbfc@gmail.com for more information. We are currently accepting limited number of volunteers for our administrative and lab positions.

For the most current information about which sections are currently looking for new volunteers, see the Volunteering page.