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06/07/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Emily Mead
PR/Marketing Coordinator
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
602.307.5330 Ext. 2241
emead@swhiv.org

Southwest Center for HIV/ AIDS offers free HIV testing on June 26 to honor National HIV Testing Day, themed "Take the Test, Take Control!"

PHOENIX, Ariz. (June 7, 2010) - Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS is celebrating the June 27th National HIV Testing Day located at 725 W. Indian School Rd, Ste. 125.

The National Association of People with AIDS organizes a National HIV Testing Day in Partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention annually June 27. This year's National HIV Testing Day features the theme "Take the Test, Take Control."

National HIV Testing Day was developed in response to the growing number of HIV infections in communities of color and other heavily impacted communities. Today, the CDC estimates approximately 250,000 Americans are living with HIV, but unaware for their HIV status - this is an average of 5,000 people in each of the 50 states.

To help combat these statistics, Southwest Center for HIV/ AIDS offers free testing Monday through Friday. Testing hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Southwest Center typically provides an annual average of 150 to 180 individuals with free, rapid HIV antibody test. The rapid HIV antibody testing device has a 99 percent accuracy rate with results noted in ten minutes.

Other areas of HIV testing offered throughout the year:
* Every Wednesday, Southwest Center staff offers HIV testing at the Chute, which is a private's men's health club located at 1440 E. Indian School Road. Testing hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
* Every Thursday, testing is offered at 1Voice Community Center from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. located at 725 W. Indian School Road, Ste 125
* The last Wednesday of each month, HIV testing is offered Fresh Start Women's Foundation from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., located at 1130 East McDowell Road. This is specifically for women and girls between 13-17 years of age.

About 1Voice Community Center
One Voice Community Center serves as a cultural focal point uniting LGBT individuals and reinvests in the community by providing vital educational, social and wellness programs.
The vision of One Voice Community Center's is help to create a strong community of LGBT individuals living without fear, shame or isolation.

About Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS is Arizona's oldest and largest nonprofit AIDS service organization providing a combination of prevention, research and wellness support to serve 70 percent of Arizona's nearly 13,000 residents infected with HIV/AIDS who live in Maricopa County.

Since 1988, Southwest Center has been on the front lines addressing a steady increase in the demand for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, prevention education, wellness support services, and clinical trials to help Arizona men, women and teens impacted by the disease.

Southwest Center's vision is to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS by achieving its mission, to prevent the disease, to improve the quality of life for those who are impacted, and to contribute to worldwide research.

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