HIV Care and Prevention

What is HIV/AIDS?Mature Gay Couple

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that can be transmitted person-to-person through sexual contact and blood via the sharing of injection materials and needles. When the disease is left untreated and progresses to a certain stage, a person is then considered to have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. The epidemic that started in the 1980s was detrimental to the LGBTQ+ community, but today, there are a number of medical innovations for treatment and prevention of HIV. It’s important to know your status and risk and to talk to your healthcare provider about prevention and treatment strategies.

Learn more about HIV and AIDS here.

Where to Go for Care

Whether it’s for HIV testing, prevention, or treatment, these public, local, and surrounding providers can help you meet your care goals and needs. 

Montgomery County Resources

Surrounding counties

Case Management

Call 1-800-985-2437 to enroll.

Montgomery - Family Services of Montgomery County, Project Hope

Bucks - Family Services Associate of Bucks County

Berks - Co-County Wellness Services

Chester - Family Services of Chester County, Project One (Ryan White Funded)

Delaware - AIDS Care Group (Ryan White Funded)

Philadelphia County - City of Philadelphia

HIV Testing

It is important to know your status! Learn more about HIV testing here and make sure you talk to your healthcare provider about an HIV test at your next visit. 

HIV Prevention

Did you know there is a pill for HIV prevention? Learn more about Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, for oral, once-daily HIV prevention below. In the case of an exposure to HIV, Post-exposure Prophylaxis, or PEP, can prevent the transmission of the virus if started within 72 hours and continued for 28 days. PrEP and PEP are for everyone at-risk, regardless of gender, race, or sexuality.

HIV TREATMENT AND CARE

HIV can be treated with once-daily oral medication known as antiretroviral therapy or ART. Although a cure for HIV does not yet exist, ART can keep you healthy for many years and decades. ART reduces the amount of virus (or viral load) in your blood and body fluids. ART is recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are. ART also reduces your chance of transmitting HIV to others if taken as prescribed, eventually reaching a point where viral load is undetectable and the risk of transmission to other people is zero. Read more below and contact your healthcare provider today!