AIDS Foundation of Chicago Joins HIV Illinois Care Connect

Chicago, Ill. – April 7, 2009 – In an effort to curb a still-serious HIV infection epidemic in metropolitan Chicago, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Illinois Public Health Association today introduced a new program – Illinois HIV Care Connect – to increase awareness about a statewide network of services for HIV-positive individuals.

“Illinois HIV Care Connect assists Chicago area health care providers and others to help people living with HIV,” said Alicia Bunton, regional project director. Funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health through federal Ryan White Part B grants, the program provides confidential medical case management services to all HIV-positive individuals, as well as health care and support services to those who meet eligibility requirements.

Increasing program awareness among health providers is a primary goal of the program, said James R. Nelson, executive director of the Illinois Public Health Association. The program’s Web site --- www.hivcareconnect.com -- has detailed information about the enormous resources provided by the program, he said.

In addition to reaching out to health care providers, the Illinois HIV Care Connect program also will encourage corrections officials to refer HIV-positive individuals because HIV infection within the prison population is five times higher than among the general public, Nelson said.

People with HIV who enroll in Illinois HIV Care Connect may qualify for outpatient medical care, mental health care, oral health care, medical nutritional therapy, substance abuse treatment and counseling, and other support services. “Illinois HIV Care Connect serves as a one-stop shop for these services,” said Richard Sewell, IPHA president.

Getting HIV-positive individuals to take advantage of these services helps to curb the spread and progression of HIV, Sewell said. “It’s important that HIV-positive individuals receive the medical treatments they need to slow the progression of HIV. They also need to know the precautions they should take to prevent the spread of the infection to others.”

HIV infection still a serious problem in Illinois

HIV infection can progress to AIDS and other diseases. About one-quarter – or 10,000 – of the 40,000 HIV-positive Illinois residents do not know they are HIV-positive, according to state health experts. Unaware of their HIV infection, undiagnosed individuals spread HIV to others through unprotected sex, intravenous drug use, or other ways. Undiagnosed individuals also do not receive the benefit of medical treatments that can slow the progression of HIV infection into AIDS or other illnesses.

To stop the progression and transmission of HIV-related disease, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that all individuals age 13-64 be tested for HIV infection. Those wishing not to be tested can choose to decline or “opt-out.” As a result, the Illinois Public Health Association expects that increased numbers of individuals will be diagnosed as HIV-positive, making referrals to HIV Care Connect an important way to contain the progression and spread of HIV infection.

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