This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Telling someone you have a sexually transmitted infection can feel heavy. It is also a common, practical health step that millions of people take. This guide walks through how to tell someone about an STD, what to say, and how expedited partner therapy works in Florida.

Nothing here is a verdict about you or your partner. Only a clinician and a test can tell anyone what is going on in their body.

Why partner notification matters

Partner notification is the public-health term for letting recent partners know they may have been exposed. It helps in three ways.

Partners can get tested and treated if they need it.
Bacterial infections and trichomoniasis can be cured with treatment from a clinician. If a partner is not treated, the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) note that the infection can be passed back and forth.
Some infections cause no symptoms for a long time, so a partner may not know to ask for a test.

HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with care from a clinician. Knowing early gives a partner more options.

What you need before you start

Think of this as a short preparation list, not a shopping list.

Your own facts. Know the name of the infection, what your test or clinician said, and what treatment your clinician prescribed.
A list of recent partners. Ask your clinician how far back to look. The answer depends on the infection.
A private, unhurried place. Choose somewhere you can talk without an audience or a clock.
A plan for questions. Write down the clinic name and phone number so your partner knows where to go next.
A little time for yourself afterward. The conversation may bring up strong feelings on both sides.

Step-by-step: how to tell your partner about an STD

Step 1: Get the medical basics from your clinician first

Before you talk to a partner, ask your clinician what the infection is, how it is treated and when it is safe to resume sex. Treatment is something a clinician prescribes, so ask about it directly.

Ask which partners should be told and how far back to count. That makes the conversation shorter and clearer.

Step 2: Choose how you will tell them

In person is often best for a current partner. A phone call or video call works if you are apart. A text can be a reasonable choice if you feel unsafe, or if the partner is someone you cannot reach any other way.

If you worry about your safety, you do not have to do this alone. A clinician or the health department can help you think through other options.

Step 3: Pick the moment

Choose a calm time. Avoid telling someone right before sex, in public, or in the middle of an argument.

You might open with a gentle heads-up: “Can we talk about something health-related? It is important, and it is not an emergency.”

Step 4: Use a short, calm script

Plain words work best. Here is a script you can adapt.

State the purpose. “I want to tell you something because I care about your health.”
Share the fact. “I got tested and I have [name of infection].”
Explain the link. “Because we have been together, you may have been exposed.”
Give the next step. “I would like you to get tested. Here is where I went.”
Offer support. “I am happy to go with you or help you find a place. What questions do you have?”

If you are the one who was told, the same script works in reverse: “Thank you for telling me. I will get tested.”

Step 5: Stay on facts, not blame

Many people with an STI never know when or from whom they got it. Some infections can be present for months or years without symptoms. Saying so can lower the temperature of the conversation.

Try phrases like “I am not blaming either of us” and “we may not be able to tell who it came from.”

Step 6: Give your partner space to react

Reactions vary. Some people feel relieved, some feel worried, and some need time. A pause is not a rejection.

You can say, “Take the time you need. I can answer questions whenever you are ready.”

Step 7: Point to testing and treatment

Share the options in Miami. The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County runs STI clinics at the Health District Center, 1350 NW 14th St., Suite 350, and at the West Perrine Health Center, 18255 Homestead Ave. Appointments are made through 305-575-3800. The department’s STI page says, “We offer low or no-cost testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV.” It does not publish a fee schedule, so ask when you call.

Care Resource lists free HIV and STI testing at 3510 Biscayne Blvd. on CDC’s GetTested site, with no appointment required. Their number is 305-576-1234, and hours can change, so call first. You can find more options at gettested.cdc.gov. For a fuller list of local places and what to expect, see where to get tested in Miami and what it costs.

Step 8: Follow up gently

A day or two later, a short message such as “Thinking of you, let me know if you want help finding a clinic” keeps the door open without pressure.

Ask your own clinician whether you need a follow-up visit or a repeat test after treatment. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend retesting for some infections, and your clinician will know which apply to you.

What if you cannot tell someone directly?

Some situations make a direct conversation hard. You might have lost touch, or you might not feel safe. You still have options.

Ask your clinician. Clinics often help with partner notification.
Ask the health department. The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County lists a disease control line at 305-470-5660 on its STI page. The page does not describe an anonymous notification service, so ask whether one is available. Do not assume it is.
Use a text or letter. A written note can say the same calm things in fewer words.

For HIV testing questions, the department lists an HIV testing line at 786-792-5269.

Expedited partner therapy in Florida

Expedited partner therapy, often shortened to EPT, lets a clinician give a patient a prescription or medicine for a partner, without first examining that partner. It exists because partners often cannot or do not get to a clinic quickly.

What Florida law says

According to the CDC’s page on the legal status of EPT in Florida, EPT is allowed under Florida Statutes section 384.27, effective July 1, 2016. The conditions are:

The patient has a lab-confirmed or suspected clinical diagnosis of an STD.
The patient reports sexual activity with the partner.
The partner is unable or unlikely to seek clinical services in a timely manner.

The CDC page also says pharmacists may dispense EPT prescriptions, and that the drug label must carry the patient’s name under section 465.186. Whether EPT is right for you is a decision for your clinician.

What EPT does and does not do

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe EPT mainly as an option for chlamydia and gonorrhea. They say evidence is more limited for other infections and for some groups of partners, including men who have sex with men, where undiagnosed HIV or syphilis can be a concern.

EPT is not a replacement for a visit. A partner can still be tested for other infections, including HIV. If your partner has symptoms, is pregnant, or has health conditions, a clinician should see them. Ask your clinician whether EPT applies to your situation.

Your privacy and Florida law

Two points from the Florida Legislature’s Online Sunshine statutes can help you plan.

Minors. Under section 384.30, a minor of any age may consent to examination and treatment for sexually transmissible diseases. The statute also says a minor’s consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and may not be disclosed directly or indirectly, such as by billing a parent or guardian, except as provided in section 384.29.
Disclosure to partners. Section 384.24 says a person who knows they have certain infections, including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital herpes, and who has been informed they may transmit them, may not have sexual intercourse with another person unless that person has been informed and consented. The penalties are set in section 384.34. If you have questions about how this applies to you, ask a clinician or a legal aid organization.

The Florida Department of Health also lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV as reportable conditions for practitioners under Rule 64D-3.029. That means clinicians report positive results to the health department, which is part of how public-health staff track infections.

Tips for a smoother conversation

Practice out loud. Saying the words once beforehand makes them easier the second time.
Keep it short. Long explanations can sound defensive. Say what you know and what comes next.
Bring a source. Pointing to the CDC’s STI pages or the health department helps with questions neither of you can answer.
Offer to go together. Some people prefer company at a clinic.
Ask about your own care. Your clinician can tell you about prevention options such as PrEP or doxy-PEP, which the CDC addressed in 2024 guidance. These are prescribed by clinicians and are not right for everyone.
Look after yourself. Talk to someone you trust if the conversation leaves you shaken.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for the perfect moment. There is rarely one. A calm, private time is enough.
Using shame or moral words. They make a medical conversation harder. Stick to the facts.
Guessing about timing. Window periods, the time before a test can reliably detect an infection, differ by infection. Check the CDC’s pages or ask a clinician rather than guessing.
Assuming the partner has the infection. Say they may have been exposed. Only a test can tell them more.
Telling a partner to skip a test. Even if they feel fine, a clinician can advise them.
Sharing medicine informally. Only treatment prescribed to a person by a clinician is appropriate. EPT is the legal route in Florida.
Telling friends or family before the partner. It can reach the partner secondhand.

What to expect afterward

Results vary. Many partners respond with concern and then take action, and many conversations end better than people fear. Some relationships change, and some do not.

Getting tested and treated may lower the chance of passing an infection back and forth, and it may prevent complications that the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe for untreated infections. No test or treatment can promise a particular outcome, so keep following your clinician’s advice.

For context, FLHealthCHARTS reports Miami-Dade County’s 2025 chlamydia rate at 471.5 per 100,000 people (13,271 cases), compared with 410.8 per 100,000 for Florida overall. The county’s 2025 gonorrhea rate was 250.5 per 100,000, compared with 156.5 for the state. These are reported cases, and they show that you are far from alone.

Your next step

If you have been told you may have been exposed, or you want to check your own status, free and low-cost testing is available in Miami. Call the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 305-575-3800, or look up a clinic on gettested.cdc.gov. Confirm hours, costs and walk-in policies with the clinic before you go.

How to Tell a Partner You Have an STD (and Expedited Partner Therapy in Florida)