Hill County HIV Community Prevention
FREE CONDOMS AVAILABLE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT!
Our Philosophy
We seek to empower individuals to decrease their risk, so we can also decrease new HIV infections in our community.
What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS if not treated. Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely, even with treatment.
With treatment, HIV is a chronic condition, and most people who are HIV-positive, stay healthy for a long time with proper medical care.
Test Today!
Everyone should get tested at least once, and people at high risk should be tested at least once a year. It is important for everyone to know their HIV status. Getting an HIV test is the first step for people living with HIV to get care and treatment and control the infection.
- The CDC says, All adults and adolescents from ages 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV.
- Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment should get tested for HIV at least once a year.
- Men who have sex with men should have an annual screening for HIV. Some gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (for example, every 3 to 6 months).
- For a free, rapid test, with results in less than 20 minutes go to GetTested.mt.gov.
Partner Notification
If your test is positive, sex and needle sharing partner(s) need to be notified and given the opportunity to receive counseling and testing. This is a very sensitive task. Public health personnel can either tell your partner(s) or help you determine how best to tell your partner(s). By law, public health personnel cannot tell your partner(s) the time or place of possible infection or your identity.
Ryan White Services are available at the following locations:
- Cascade City-County Health Department 115 4th St. South Great Falls, MT 59401 (406) 791-9269
- Butte-Silverbow Health Department 25 West Front St. Butte, MT 59701 (406) 497-5001
- Lewis & Clark City-County Health Department 1930 9th Ave. Helena, MT 59601 (406) 457-8952
- Yellowstone City-County Health Department 123 S. 27th St. Billings, MT 59101 (406) 247-3376
- Flathead City-County Health Department 723 5th Ave. East Kalispell, MT 59901 (406) 751-8113
- Missoula City-County Health Department Partnership Clinic 323 West Alder Missoula, MT 59802 (406) 258-1186
- Gallatin City-County Health Department 12 North 3rd Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 582-3100
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
KNOW YOUR STATUS!
HIV Resources
Montana STD/HIV Info. Line 1-800-233-6668
CDC National AIDS Hotline 1-800-342-2437
National Association of People with AIDS 202-898-0414
National Native American AIDS Prevention Center 510-444-2051
Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc. 1-800-243-7692
Project Inform National Hotline 1-800-822-7422
National Catholic AIDS Network 707-874-3031
Montana DPHHS HIV/STD Information
Montana STD/HIV Information Line: 1-800-233-6668
CDC National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-2437
National Association of People with AIDS: 1-202-898-0414
National Native American AIDS Prevention Center: 1-510-444-2051
Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc. 1-800-243-7692
Project Inform National Hotline: 1-800-822-7422
Montana DPHHS HIV/STD Information
Nine and a Half Minutes – ACT against AIDS
Center for Disease Control – HIV/AIDS
The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States is REAL Get the Facts!
Before we can stop an epidemic, we first have to recognize the magnitude of the disease. HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, 1 in 5 are unaware of their infection. And even though there are treatments to help people with HIV live longer than ever before, AIDS is still a significant health issue.
Alarming Facts:
- Every 9 ½ minutes (on average), someone in the United States is infected with HIV.
- More than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV
- Of those 1 million people living with HIV, 1 out of 5 do not know they are infected!
- Despite new therapies, people with HIV still develop AIDS.
- Over 1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with AIDS
- More than 14,000 people with AIDS still die each year in the United States.
HIV cannot reproduce outside the human body. It is NOT spread by:
- Air or water (pools/bath tubs)
- Insects, including mosquitoes
- Saliva, tears or sweat
- Casual contact like shaking hands or sharing dishes, hugging, toilet seats
- Kissing (unless open sores are present in the mouth)
How to avoid getting infected:
- Don t have sex at all (anal, vaginal, and oral sex)
- Only have sex if you are in a relationship with 1 person and you have both tested negative for HIV
- Use male or female CONDOMS with water based lubricant EVERY TIME you have sexual contact (vaginal, oral or anal)
- Use a plastic or latex “DAM” for oral sex
- NEVER SHARE NEEDLES for body piercing, injecting drugs, or tattooing
- Locate an HIV and STD testing site near you by TEXTING your zip code to KNOWIT (566948) or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for assistance.