HIV/AIDS Program
The HIV/AIDS Program at the Howard County Health Department (HCHD) is dedicated to providing person-centered, evidence-based strategies to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in a judgment-free environment.
Our team members are committed to offering the support and guidance needed to increase awareness and link patients to the necessary care and services needed to maintain a healthy life.
Services available at HCHD include PrEP, harm reduction, STI testing and treatment, counseling, sexual health education, and condom distribution.
Testing Services
FREE, ANONYMOUS, and CONFIDENTIAL HIV testing is available every Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm in the Columbia Health Center Clinic. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
Call 410-313-1412 for information and clinic availability.
Additional Testing Options
The Violet Project: Free at-home chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trich test kits available for Maryland residents up to age 26.
See our STI Program page for more STI testing and treatment information.
Disease Intervention
Disease intervention helps stop the spread of infectious diseases. It includes actions taken to prevent, control, and treat illnesses that can affect a community, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The goal is to quickly find people who may have an infection but do not know it yet and help them get testing and treatment as soon as possible. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) are highly trained public health professionals that work to control and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infectious diseases. They are responsible for finding and counseling people with STIs, using their knowledge to increase prevention by conducting case investigations, contact tracing, partner services, and linkage to care.
What does a DIS do?
DIS staff serve as a confidential link between patients, healthcare providers, and the health department. They talk with people who have an infection to understand possible risks and ask about partners who may also be at risk. DIS then contacts those partners to let them know they should get tested. This helps people get fast, private testing and treatment.
DIS also talk with patients about ways to lower their risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They make sure people have clear, correct information about STIs and how to prevent them in the future.
Core Duties
- Case Investigation: Find out how a disease may have spread and where it started.
- Contact Tracing: Identify and notify people who may have been exposed so they can get tested and treated.
- Counseling and Education: Teach people about prevention, testing, and treatment options.
- Linkage to Care: Help connect people with medical care and support services.
- Data Collection: Gather information through interviews to help health departments track disease trends.
- Public Health Response: Act quickly during disease outbreaks to help protect the community.
If you or your partner tests positive, we offer confidential partner referral services to ensure testing and treatment. DIS staff may confidentially notify their sexual or needle-sharing partners so they can get tested and treated.
- Your name is never shared.
- All communication is private and professional.
Partner Services is a mandatory function of every health department.
- Health Education Lecture Sessions
- Court appointed classes for people charged with sex offences.
- Outreach Program Services – Services focus on outreach to targeted high risk communities or individuals so that they may be referred and/or reconnect to care and treatment services for HIV/ AIDS. Call 410-313-1412 for more information.
Since April 2018, the Health Department has been offering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in the Columbia Health Center. Oral and injectable options are available. Please call 410-313-7500 to learn more and see if you are a PrEP candidate.
A support service program providing assistance to qualified individuals in the areas of:
- HOPWA Housing Assistance—Housing opportunities for people with AIDS
- Linkage to Medical Care
- Medical Transportation
- Emergency Food Assistance (EFA)
Call 410-313-1412 for more information or write to askhealth@howardcountymd.gov.
Additional information can be found at https://ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/about/ryan-white
Individuals living with HIV/AIDS, who are uninsured or underinsured and qualify for Ryan White A Program* services, may access medical services in Howard County through two of our provider partners listed below.
Medical Case Management (MCM) services are also available through the Health Department and our partners. MCM helps clients get referrals for medical care, stay on track with their treatment, and find services they may need.
Staff work closely with each client to create a care plan that fits their needs. These plans focus on supporting the client’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Staff also help clients connect to medical support services and make sure they continue to receive the care they need.
These providers are:
Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc.
5500 Knoll North Drive, Suite 370,
Columbia, Maryland 21045
Phone number: 410-884-7831
Fax number: 410-715-3734
Johns Hopkins HIV County Program
Medical Arts Building
11085 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 103
Columbia, MD 21044
Phone number: 410-614-3055
Fax number: 410-367-2130
*The Ryan White Care Act is the United States' largest federally funded program for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Ryan White Care Act funds programs to improve availability of care for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured victims of AIDS and their families. It is also the "payer of last resort," which subsidizes treatment when no other resources are available.
Food and Care For All, Inc. holds a monthly HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Support Group. Sessions are held every third Saturday of the month from 11 AM to 12 PM at the FCFA Food Pantry Conference Room, 10262 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD.
- Food and Care For All, Inc. Food Pantry—https://www.fcfaglobal.org/our-programs/
- Howard County LHIC’s Healthy Eating page provides information and resources, including:
-
- Food Connection Map
- Food and Nutrition Education Programs
- Food Pantries and Hot Meals
- HoCo Rapid Ride - https://city.ridewithvia.com/rapidride