‘Know Your Status’
Health District encourages testing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 1, 2014
LAS VEGAS – Know your status? The Southern Nevada Health District and the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada will kick off a monthly Saturday HIV/STD testing clinic on May 3. The clinic will be available from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The monthly clinic will be the first Saturday of each month at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, 401 S. Maryland Parkway. For more information, visit the health district website, www.SNHD.info or contact the Gay and Lesbian Center, (702) 733-9800.
Appointments are not needed and the monthly Saturday clinic will offer free HIV/STD screenings. Results for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia tests will take approximately two weeks and will be available by calling the Southern Nevada Health District’s Sexual Health Clinic, (702) 759-0702. All testing is confidential.
The Center conducted a survey recently to identify the needs of the community it serves. The non-traditional clinic hours are an opportunity to provide testing services for more people in the community. The health district encourages everyone to learn his or her HIV status.
Early diagnosis is critical for people who are HIV positive so they can benefit from treatment. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of people with HIV are not diagnosed until they have developed AIDS, which can occur 10 years after infection. Additional recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) include annual testing for individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behavior or use intravenous drugs. Pregnant women should be tested during the early months of their pregnancy to help eliminate transmission of HIV to their infants.
The Sexual Health Clinic is located at 400 Shadow Lane, Suite 106. Services include confidential testing, counseling, case management and referrals. The health district offers several HIV test options, some with same-day results. In addition, testing is available at several locations throughout the community.
In addition to testing at the Sexual Health Clinic, weekly HIV/ STD screenings are available at the following locations:
Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-5 p.m.
Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, (702) 733-9800
401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas
Free HIV/STD screening
Tuesday, Noon-5 p.m.
Richard Steele Boxing Facility, (702) 638-1308
2475 West Cheyenne Ave., #120, North Las Vegas
Free HIV/STD screening
Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Community Counseling Center, (702) 369-8700
714 E. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas
Free HIV/hepatitis B and C screening
The health district encourages everyone in the community to learn their HIV status. Currently, there are more than 6,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.