June 21, 2006 National HIV Testing Day to be held June 27Testing available at sites throughout Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, - National HIV Testing Day, a day dedicated to encouraging people to find out their HIV status and helping those who are positive access treatment and reduce their risk of transmitting the virus to others, is being held on June 27. The National Association of People With AIDS organizes the day, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other national and local entities across the country.
In Louisiana, the Department of Health – Office of Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Program and its partners from around the state will work toward promoting the benefits of getting tested early and decreasing the barriers to testing among communities at risk.
Approximately 5,000 Louisiana residents are living with HIV but are unaware of it. Louisiana ranks fifth highest in the nation in AIDS case rates, with 15,068 people living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2005. In 2004, Baton Rouge ranked third out of 104 metropolitan areas in AIDS case rates; New Orleans ranked sixth.
Test sites throughout the state will be offering expanded testing hours. A list of activities in each region of the state is listed on the following pages. Testing is at no-cost and open to everyone.
For more information about National HIV Testing Day, contact the Louisiana Statewide HIV/AIDS hotline at 1-800-99AIDS9 or 1-800-992-4379.
All events are on Tuesday, June 27 unless otherwise noted
Region 1 – New Orleans
Drop-In Center
Peer Outreach workers will accompany staff on an early afternoon distribution of materials, information and referrals for HIV testing sites. The Drop-In Center will also offer counseling and testing at the Covenant House site.
*For more information contact Rachel Witwer at 504-948-6701
NO/AIDS Task Force
Activities - The NO/AIDS Task Force will commemorate HIV Testing Day with a series of public events from June 17 - July 1.
Testing Dates and Sites:
Sunday, June 25
Testing in Mobile Unit
Pride Fest at Washington Square Park
New Orleans, LA
Time to be announced
Monday, June 26
Testing in Mobile Unit
Audubon Park
New Orleans, LA
Time to be announced
Tuesday, June 27
Community Awareness Network Office
507 Frenchman St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Wednesday, June 28
NO/AIDS Task Force
2601 Tulane Ave. 5th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70119
3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 29
Community Awareness Network Office
507 Frenchman St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 30
NO/AIDS Task Force
2601 Tulane Ave. 5th FL
New Orleans, LA 70119
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 1
Community Awareness Network Office,
507 Frenchman St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
* For more information contact Darrin L. Harris at 504-945-4000
St. John/Camp ACE
Activities- No-cost HIV Testing
Tuesday, June 27
St. John/Camp ACE
3635 Hamburg St.
New Orleans, LA 70122
12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
* For more information contact Tamachia Davenport at 504-610-8471
N’R PEACE
Activities- N’R PEACE will offer no-cost HIV testing and syphilis screening. Refreshments will be served.
Testing Dates and Sites:
Tuesday, June 27
N’R PEACE
3201 General DeGaulle Dr., Suite 201
New Orleans, LA 70114
Wednesday, June 28
Common Ground Clinic
1401 Teche St.
New Orleans, LA 70114
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Thursday, June 29
Xavier University Student Nursing Center
4910 Drexel Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70125
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
* For more information contact Alicia Davis or Gail Colin at 504-365-7260
Region 2 – Baton Rouge
Activities – “Empower Yourself, Take the Test” - The Region 2 Community Planning Group will be offering HIV and syphilis testing in the Sherwood Meadows area of Baton Rouge.
* For more information contact Chantell Payne at 225-338-9333
Region 3 – Houma/Thibodaux
N’R PEACE
Activities – Outreach and HIV Testing
Tuesday, June 27
Bunkhouse Shelter, Inc
8424 Main St.
Houma, LA 70363
Time to be announced
* For more information contact Onita Triplett at 985-223-2920
Region 4 – Lafayette
Acadiana Cares
Activities – Acadiana CARES will provide rapid testing and education and have an information table at Soundfactory for “Karaoke with CARES.”
Testing Dates and Sites:
Monday, June 26
The Family Tree
4540 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. C-100
Lafayette, LA 70508
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday, June 27
New Iberia Addictive Disorders Clinic
611 Admiral Doyle Dr.
New Iberia, LA 70560
8 a.m. –10 a.m.
Acadiana CARES
203 W. Third St.
Lafayette, LA 70502
12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
“Karaoke with CARES”
Soundfactory
Jefferson Street (Downtown Lafayette)
Lafayette, LA 70502
10:30 p.m.
*For more information contact Andre' Mitchell at 337-233-2437
Region 5 – Lake Charles
Southwest Louisiana AIDS Council
Activities- Education and HIV Testing Event - SLAC will host a cook out in their office and offer counseling and testing all day.
Testing Dates and Sites:
Friday, June 23
Crystal’s Night Club
112 W. Broad St.
Lake Charles, LA 70601
10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Tuesday, June 27
SLAC
1715 Common St
Lake Charles, LA 70601
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
*For more information contact Mary McNeal at 337-439-5145
Region 6 – Alexandria
Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services (CLASS)
Activities – Education, awareness and testing
Tuesday, June 27
Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services (CLASS)
904 13th St.
Alexandria, LA
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
*For more information contact Eddie O’Conner at 318-442-1010
Region 7 – Shreveport
Philadelphia Center
Activities – “Know Your Status”- Rap music contest with no-cost HIV testing, education and awareness
Tuesday, June 27
Bilberry Park
1902 Alabama St.
Shreveport, LA 71103
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
*For more information contact Sylvia Green-McIntyre at 318-222-6633 x 14
Region 8 – Monroe
Activities – Public Awareness Testing and Education. All of Northeast Louisiana except Monroe has been designated as having an underserved population. In an effort to increase awareness of HIV risks and the importance of being tested, GO CARE takes the test to the community, making testing available to the residents where they live.
Testing Dates and Sites:
Wednesday, June 21
U-Pak-It
4060 Front St.
Winnsboro, LA. 71295
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday, June 22
YO! Center
1320 Sparrow St.
Lake Providence, LA 71254
10:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
YO! Center
1012 North Beech St.
Tallulah, LA 71282
12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m.
Friday, June 23
A-1 Grocery Mart
308 Colman St.
West Monroe, LA 71202
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Traina’s Grocery
1441 Leon Drive
Jonesboro, LA 71251
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
*For more information contact GO CARE at 318-325-1092
Region 9 – Florida Parishes
South East Area Health Education Center (SEAHEC)
Activities – Education, Awareness and Testing
Tuesday, June 27
Reginald’s Barbershop
145 Rangeline Rd.
Hammond La 70401
Time: 10 am-2 pm
Pine Creek Apartments
Martin Luther King Dr.
Hammond La 70401
Time: 5pm – 7pm
*For more information contact Robert West@ 985-634-2426