Care And Prevention in the United States
The CAPUS Project aims to create more efficient systems to prevent HIV, improve HIV testing, linkage to and retention in care, and antiretroviral adherence, specifically targeting highest risk minority populations. Georgia is one of eight states that received funding for the CAPUS Project and partners with CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA, HHS and the community to complete its objectives.
Finding sustainable HIV treatment and care is the single, most important connection that HIV positive individuals can make. For many, navigating through numerous systems can be confusing and frustrating. In some cases a connection to much needed health care is never made. Instead, everyday challenges like housing and employment become life's priority.
This Web site, the Georgia CAPUS Resource Hub, changes everything. It's a simple online portal with a single mission: make tomorrow better and healthier by connecting Georgians with HIV treatment and care today.
This tool, designed to be the primary resource for Georgia residents regarding HIV/AIDS care and prevention, has four separate components that will assist not only individuals living with HIV, but also individuals who serve those living with HIV or looking for more information.
If you have been diagnosed as HIV-positive and looking for care or assisting someone in finding support, you have come to the right place.
How can we help you?
Do you know your HIV status? Are you newly diagnosed but haven't found care? Have you been looking for support?
Working with HIV-positive individuals towards connecting them to care and/or referring them for support services?
Are you a doctor or medical professional providing services to or assisting individuals that are living with HIV?
Do you know or care for someone living with HIV? Are you helping to connect someone to HIV care?
Get Tested
Available Testing Services
Anyone who is sexually active should get tested yearly for HIV and other common STDs. Remember, many people infected with HIV or other STDs don't have symptoms, so testing is the only way to know for certain whether you are infected. STD testing does require some time between when a person is infected and when the test can be expected to identify the presence of the virus in the body. It's important to be tested regularly, even if you don't exhibit symptoms. It's fast, easy, painless— and free in most places. Whether positive or negative, everyone needs to know their HIV status. That means getting tested regularly.
If you have HIV or another STD, getting proper treatment can help protect your health. You can also learn how to protect others. HIV tests should come with counseling, before and after, to help you understand:
- how the test works
- what the results mean
- what you should do if you have HIV
- ways to reduce your risk of HIV transmission
If the testing site doesn't offer counseling, find one that does.
Things you can do to prevent HIV
Protect Yourself.
Using condoms consistently and correctly can reduce the risk of transmitting HIV and other STDs (but will not eliminate them).
Get PrEP.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a way for people who do not have HIV but are at risk of getting it to prevent HIV infection.
Stop Sharing Needles.
Sharing unclean needles can place another person's blood right into your body, even if the amount is so small that you can't see it on the needle.
Be 100% Sure.
Practicing abstinence is the only way to keep from giving (or getting) HIV or another STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease).