Capital Region “Take the Test” Week

ALBANY, NY (06/23/2008)(readMedia)-- Friday, June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. National HIV Testing Day is an opportunity for people nationwide to learn their HIV status which is essential in taking control of their health and their lives. Locally, free HIV testing will be provided as part of the Capital Region's "Take the Test" week. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people who already have HIV do not know they have it. HIV counseling and testing enables those that test positive to get early treatment and to protect their partners' health, and helps people who test negative to get the information they need to stay uninfected.

In an effort to promote HIV testing in upstate New York, the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York has collaborated with other local groups to provide various HIV testing sites throughout the region. They are encouraging citizens to "Take Control. Take the Test." The Take the Test coalition includes the AIDS Council, New York State Department of Health, Project W.A.V.E., Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Services.

In addition to regularly scheduled walk-in testing, the following testing dates and locations have been added for Take the Test week:

Monday, June 23

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood | 200 Broadway, Troy | 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Tuesday, June 24

Social Justice Center | 33 Central Avenue, Albany | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood | 259 Lark Street, Albany | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood | Latham Health Center Rt. 155, Latham | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday, June 25

Social Justice Center | 33 Central Avenue, Albany | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Thursday, June 26

Albany Medical Center, Room D106 | New Scotland Ave, Albany | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Shenanigans | 2169 Central Ave, Colonie | 6:00 PM - 9:00PM

Friday, June 27

Albany Medical Center, Room D106 | New Scotland Ave, Albany | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Schenectady Damien Center | 30 N. Ferry St., Schenectady | 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

For additional testing dates, times and locations, including walk-in testing hours, call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-201-AIDS. HIV is 100% preventable and many do not know the test only takes about 20 minutes to get a result and involves no needles or blood. New York leads the nation in HIV cases and 6 New Yorkers die every day from HIV/AIDS.

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) was started in 1995 by The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA). Every year, on June 27th, local organizations across the nation engage with communities to promote early diagnosis and HIV-testing.

The AIDS Council of Northeastern New York is a not-for-profit human service agency whose mission is to reduce the risk, fear, and incidence of HIV infection, encourage the independence of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and promote understanding of their needs. In operation for over 24 years, the AIDS Council is the preeminent provider of AIDS services in a fifteen county region in Upstate New York with offices in Albany, Glens Falls, Hudson, Plattsburgh, Schenectady and Troy. For more information about the AIDS Council, please visit www.aidscouncil.org.

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