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HIV Disease: Prevention, Care & Surveillance

In the two decades since AIDS was first recognized, great strides have been made in treating HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) and preventing or treating secondary infections that can accompany it. While no cure for HIV Disease exists yet, many people are living longer, healthier lives thanks to these medical advances. However, far too many people learn too late that they are infected, unwittingly placing others at risk, missing years of early treatment, and giving HIV time to seriously damage their immune system.

Suburban residents living with HIV disease can protect their health by taking advantage of free HIV care services. Case managers can assist financially eligible patients to take advantage of basic services, including physician visits, lab work, primary dental care, mental health services, nutritional counseling and rehabilitation. Qualified individuals may be entitled to free medication. In addition, family members and friends may obtain support services through the program. All information is confidential.

To prevent the spread and progression of HIV, CCDPH urges people who have a history of high risk behavior, or are aware of their partners’ past high risk behavior, to get tested. CCDPH STD clinics offers confidential screening for HIV and other STD services available to all residents of suburban Cook County regardless of financial eligibility. In addition, the CCDPH and its contracted partners conduct outreach HIV screening and prevention education at sites throughout suburban Cook County where very high risk individuals gather.

Individuals at very high HIV risk include people whose sexual partners are HIV-positive, injection drug users and their unprotected sexual partners, and males who have had unprotected sex with other males and their heterosexual partners. At moderately high risk are people who have engaged in unprotected sex in exchange for money or drugs, or who have previously experienced one or more sexually transmitted infection.

For more information about confidential HIV/STD screening testing services, please contact the district office nearest to your home.

CCDPH also partners with community organizations by funding prevention programs targeting residents at highest risk for HIV infection.

HIV Surveillance

To report a newly diagnosed case of HIV disease, physicians or clinic administrators should call HIV Surveillance at 708-492-2171.

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HIV Resources:

CDC HIV website: www.cdc.gov/hiv
Illinois Dept. of Public Health HIV website: http://www.idph.state.il.us/aids/default.htm

HIV Care in Suburban Cook:

AIDS Foundation Chicago coordinates case management system for the Chicago Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA), which includes suburban Cook County. Case Management assists HIV-diagnosed clients in identifying and prioritizing their needs, connecting to appropriate medical and social services, and applying for benefits and emergency funds. For more information, please call 312-922-2322.

The Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline offers case management services to link HIV-infected pregnant women to medical care and social services.  The Hotline provides real-time medical consultation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to medical providers caring for HIV-infected pregnant women. For more information, please call 1-800-439-4079.

Open Door Clinic in the north suburb of Elgin provides free HIV medical care for eligible individuals. For more information, please call 847-695-1093.

Loyola University Medical Center in the west suburb of Maywood provides free HIV medical care for eligible individuals. For more information, please call 708-216-5024.

South Suburban HIV/AIDS Regional Coalition (SSHARC) with south suburban clinics in Phoenix, Robbins, and Ford Heights provides free HIV medical care for eligible individuals. For more information, please call 708-753-5848.

Prevention Partners

Asian Human Services, Inc. is funded to provide and promote HIV screening and prevention services for high risk suburban Cook County Asian-Americans with a particular focus on Asian men who have sex with men in the north suburbs. For more information, please call 773-293-8480.

Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center in the south suburbs is funded to provide HIV screening and teach HIV risk reduction skills to high risk heterosexual foster home youth and gay teens. For more information, please call 708-679-8125.

Bridging the Tys to Jordan in the south suburbs provides HIV screening and risk reduction counseling through van outreach to African American high risk heterosexuals, injection drug users, and men who have sex with men. For more information, please call 773-667-9632.

Carepoint Adult, Child and Family Association in the north suburbs is funded to conduct HIV risk reduction education and testing with high risk heterosexuals, injection drug users, in Evanston, Des Plaines and Palatine and the southwest suburb of Evergreen Park. For more information, please call 847-425-3606.

Chicago Recovery Alliance provides harm reduction street outreach and HIV/STD testing to drug injectors, their partners, non-injected substance users and sex workers in westsuburbs of Cicero, Maywood, and the south suburbs. With private foundation grants, The Alliance also provides legal syringe exchange services to reduce syringe-sharing and safely dispose of used syringes. For more information, please call 773-471-0999.

Christian Community Health Center in the south suburbs provides HIV screening and risk reduction counseling to African American High Risk Hetersexuals in Calumet City, South Holland and Dalton. For more information, please call 773-233-8524 x 2132.

Howard Brown Health Center is funded to conduct HIV prevention and testing outreach to men who have sex with men in gay bars in the southwest suburbs of Blue Island, Bedford Park, Summit, the west surburb of Forest Park, and the north suburb of Elk Grove Village. For more information, please call 773-388-8862.

Links North Shore Youth Health Services provides HIV prevention group health education, risk reduction counseling and HIV testing to gay youth in the north suburbs of Northfield and Palatine. For more information, please call 847-441-6191.

Oak Park Health Department provides free HIV and STD screening at its west suburban clinic. For an appointment, please call 708-358-5491.

PCC Wellness Center through its Sync program provides HIV prevention group health education, risk reduction counseling, and HIV testing to gay youth and young adults in the west Cook suburbs. PCC’s  Amigos Latinos Apoyos Siempre (A.L.A.S.) Program provides Latino gay and bisexually-active men with group peer prevention support and outreach HIV screening. For more information, please call 312-860-6300.

Renz Addiction Counseling Center conducts HIV screening and an ongoing HIV prevention support group called Dos Espiritus for north suburban Latino males who have sex with males. They also conduct Hermanas Latinas, an HIV risk reduction support group for gang-involved west suburban teen girls in Cicero. For more information, please call 847-697-1221.

Sisters and Brothers Helping Each Other provides harm reduction street outreach and HIV testing to drug injectors, their partners, and sex workers in south suburbs of Chicago Heights, Ford Heights, Harvey, Riverdale and Robbins. With private foundation grants, Sisters also provides legal syringe exchange services to reduce syringe-sharing and safely dispose of used syringes. For more information, please call 815-735-3927.

South Suburban HIV/AIDS Regional Coalition (SSHARC) provides risk reduction counseling to people living with HIV plus HIV screening and counseling for their partners in thesouth suburbs. For more information, please call 708-753-5848.

Women’s Resource Assistance Program conducts street outreach, prevention case management and HIV testing for African American and Latino high risk heterosexuals, women in prostitution, and injection drug users in Chicago Heights, Harvey and Robbins. For more information, please call 708-389-7272.

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