Wake County Awarded $676,899 for HIV Testing And Patient Care

12/5/2007

Wake County Human Services announced the acceptance of a $676,899 grant from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services for treatment and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The funds will be used to provide testing, patient care and prevention programs within the County and will be available to all residents, including inmates.

Wake County will receive more than $440,000, from the Department of Health and Human Services Ryan White Modernization Act, to provide care for HIV-infected citizens. The funds will be used to increase services and access to primary care, expand patient education and adherence counseling. The grant will provide laboratory equipment, an upgraded x-ray system, computer equipment and a mobile medical unit that will be managed by the Alliance for AIDS Services Carolina.

The Division of Public Health will provide an additional $235,000 to establish a case manager position at the Hammond Road Detention Facilities to assure that STD testing is available to all inmates. Persons entering Wake County correctional facilities traditionally have a history of high-risk sexual behaviors, substance abuse, or both. As a result, high rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases have been documented in this population.

The Wake County Human Services HIV/STD Community Program currently provides testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV to inmates at the Wake County Public Safety Center. The grant will allow anyone who tests positive for an STD to be treated and referred for ongoing health care. The funds will be received over a three-year period.

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