HIV Risk Reduction Services
Have you had questions or concerns about your sexual and/or drug use activities? Have you been thinking that it may be time to make some changes to your sex life and/or drug use? Would you like condoms (male and female), lube, or dental dams? We can help you!
North County Connect provides a variety of HIV risk reduction services. These services include:
- Individual risk reduction assessment – you and a counselor will have a confidential one-on-one discussion about your sexual and/or drug use related activities. Together, you will figure out actions you can take to reduce your HIV risk.
- Linkage to nearby HIV testing sites, if appropriate.
- Individual and/or group HIV education – individuals or groups interested in learning more about HIV/AIDS, HIV testing, HIV transmission, and its treatment may request a session with one of our health educators.
- Coordination of services and referrals – there are numerous resources available to you in the community. We connect you to the services you need (e.g. HIV/STD testing, STD treatment, HIV treatment, general medical care, dental care, job placement, etc.)
- Partner Services – individuals living with HIV may have difficulty telling their partner(s) about their HIV status. The services help our clients explore options for disclosing their HIV status and help them through the process.
- Free safer sex materials, such as condoms, lube, etc.
The most common signs and symptoms of an STD are NO SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS. Many people are unaware that they have HIV or an STD until they receive a positive test result.
Ask for HIV/STD testing if you think you need it. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and what tests you’d like. Don’t assume that you’re receiving HIV/STD testing every time you have a male exam or blood test.
You may find that you should be tested more frequently than once a year. How often you get tested is dependent upon the types of sexual activities you engage in, how often you engage in those sexual activities, the number of partners you have, and whether or not you’ve had a recent exposure to an STD. Open and honest discussions with your healthcare provider can help you determine how often you should be getting tested.
HIV and or STD testing can be conducted at any one of our 5 clinics found below.
Qualified individuals may receive:
- One-on-one risk reduction counseling sessions – over a series of sessions, you and your health educator will confidentially explore your personal risks for HIV and STDs. Working together, you will develop your own goals to help reduce your risk. Throughout this process, your health educator will link you to services to help you achieve your goals.
- Free incentives – gift cards and bus passes
If interested in obtaining any of the above services, contact us.