Get Tested Coachella Valley is a region-wide public health program dedicated to dramatically reducing HIV by making voluntary HIV testing standard and routine medical practice and ensuring linkage to care.
$25 STI Testing and Initial Treatment
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common and the rates in the Coachella Valley are high. You can have an STI without knowing it. In many cases, there are no signs or symptoms. The DOCK, our sexual health clinic, is ready to assist you quickly and confidentially with the information, testing and treatment you need for STIs including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, and Syphilis – all for $25.
PrEP and PEP
PrEP is a way for people who do not have HIV to prevent getting it by taking a daily pill. Along with other prevention methods like condoms, PrEP can offer good protection against HIV if taken every day.
Click here to learn more about PrEP.
PEP is used for anyone who may have been exposed to HIV during a single high-risk event of potential HIV exposure—such as sex without a condom, needle-sharing injection drug use, or sexual assault. If you think you have been exposed to HIV, visit the ER to seek treatment immediately.
Click here to learn more about PEP.
Schedule a free consultation with our team by calling 760-992-0492.
Free HIV Testing
An estimated 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, including about 162,500 people who are unaware of their status. Nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who do not know they have the virus. For people with undiagnosed HIV, testing is the first step in maintaining a healthy life and reducing the spread of HIV.
We offer free, confidential and compassionate HIV testing onsite. Support is here if you need it.
Free Hepatitis C Testing
Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness but for 70%–85% of people who become infected with the hepatitis C virus, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. Many people might not be aware of their infection because they are not clinically ill. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. The best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs. Call us today at 760-992-0492 to schedule an appointment for free Hepatitis C testing.
Sexual Health Clinic - Palm Springs
1695 N. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA 92262
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Phone: 760-992-0492
To reach our after-hours answering service, please call (760) 323-2118.
About Get Tested Coachella Valley
Campaign Background
Get Tested Coachella Valley is a region-wide public health campaign dedicated to dramatically reducing the spread of HIV and ensuring linkage to care for those who test positive. Sparked by the vision of Desert AIDS Project and under their ongoing leadership, a growing coalition of more than 100 community partners is the driving force behind the campaign. Get Tested Coachella Valley is committed to:
· Making voluntary HIV testing standard and routine medical practice;
· Making HIV testing and HIV care available to everyone, including those who don’t see healthcare providers on a regular basis;
· Educating the entire community on how to protect their health and prevent infection.
An international study, hailed by the journal Science as the “2011 Breakthrough of the Year,” proved that if an individual who is HIV positive takes the right medications, he or she may become up to 96% less likely to pass the virus to others.
Work on the initiative began in the Spring of 2012. The first phase of the project involved research into similar campaigns in major cities around the United States, including New York, Washington DC, Miami, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Get Tested Coachella Valley represents the first-ever attempt by a local region in the United States to use a community-based approach to bring an end to the HIV epidemic.
During the Summer of 2012, a series of Think Tank sessions was attended by over 200 community leaders who shaped the preliminary design of the campaign.
In the Fall of 2012, three Working Groups of community partners met to strategize and address key challenges, including how to: engage the heath care community and greatly increase the number of HIV test sites in the Coachella Valley; educate and inspire the general public; and ensure linkage to care for all who test positive.
During 2013, the campaign design was translated in to a 3-year Action Plan supported by a $5 million budget.
Key elements of this Action Plan include:
· Outreach to health care providers across the Coachella Valley through educational training sessions and technical support from Get Tested Coachella Valley Public Health Liaisons;
· A mobile HIV testing clinic at community venues and events, helping to reach individuals who do not see health care providers on a routine basis;
· A large-scale education and anti-stigma campaign.
· The campaign was launched to the general public in January 2014.
Key milestones to date include:
· The naming of three Campaign Champions: Carolyn Caldwell, CEO, Desert Regional Medical Center; Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (CA-36); and Barbara Keller, Board Chair, Desert AIDS Project.
· The endorsement and active collaboration of the region’s public health system, major hospitals, and medical community leadership, including: Riverside County Department of Public Health, Riverside County Health System, Riverside County Medical Association, Desert Regional Medical Center, Eisenhower Medical Center, and John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital
· The formation of a growing coalition of more than 100 community partners, including local medical clinics, doctors, and pharmacies; leaders of community- and faith-based organizations, local government, educational institutions, businesses, foundations; and caring individuals.
· The design of the region’s first-ever linkage to care network – providing all health care providers with convenient access to early intervention services for patients who test positive
· A specially designed mobile HIV testing clinic with two testing areas
· The launch of campaign websites and social media sites in English and Spanish
Results Reports
Get Tested Coachella Valley Annual Report – 2015
Get Tested Coachella Valley Annual Report – 2014
Get Tested Coachella Valley Results Recap: 2014-2016
Survey Results Reports
Get Tested Coachella Valley Community Survey – 2014
Get Tested Coachella Valley Physician Survey – 2015
Our Community Coalition