HIV/AIDS | Indian Health Service (IHS) (original) (raw)

The IHS National HIV/AIDS Program (HIV/AIDS) coordinates and promotes HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities specific to Indians as part of a comprehensive public health approach. In addition to providing medical care to eligible beneficiaries, the IHS also serves as a public health system. The goals of the HIV/AIDS Program are to prevent further spread of HIV and improve health outcomes for those already living with HIV and AIDS. These goals are supported through the following:

• identifying new approaches to implement effective prevention interventions;
• developing HIV prevention and care standards and performance measures;
• reducing and preventing new infections by communicating public health messages on the importance of knowing personal HIV status;
• increasing routine HIV screening;
• increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS;
• developing policies and procedures to sustain preventative successes including confidentiality concerns;
• utilizing media to expand access to information about testing, stigma prevention, and HIV education for health care providers and AI/AN people; and
• providing technical assistance to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations regarding these HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs.