Campus HIV test center to reopen next month

Last March, the University's free, anonymous, on-campus HIV testing center closed after several years on campus. At the beginning of next month, the Philadelphia Community Health Alternative will provide staff support so HIV testing will once again be available to the University community. Opening October 2, the center will be open every Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Clinical Research Center at 4019 Irving Street. The center is part of the University's School of Dental Medicine. PCHA established the new service when one of its employees, Dan Horn, learned that the old site on campus had been discontinued, according to Kurt Conklin, a Facilitating Learning about Sexual Health advisor who works at Student Health Services. "He contacted me and expressed an interest [in PCHA becoming involved]," said Conklin. "So we took advantage of his interest in this." Conklin said Mary Palacio, who also works at PCHA, had begun a similar service at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania this past summer. The new Irving Street site has advantages over the one at HUP, especially since the latter only does walk-in testing, Conklin explained. "I really wanted the campus site [to be] on an appointment basis," Conklin said, adding that this is better for students who wish to schedule the appointment between classes, and often are too busy to wait in a long line. According to Conklin, the cost "can approach $100 per test," an amount paid by PCHA. The high cost of the procedure makes the future of testing sites "never a sure thing," Conklin said. The Women's Anonymous Test Site closed in March because of problems with funding, and Conklin said even the newly-established service will not be immune to future funding problems. For now, however, the new testing service is available to members of the University community and residents of West Philadelphia. College senior and FLASH Steering Committee member Claudia Gomez said the service's convenience and full anonymity are big advantages for college students. She noted that some services are simply "confidential," but not anonymous. For the former, a student has to provide a Social Security number. With that information, insurance companies could gain access to information about the test, though not its results. Student appointments will last approximately 20 minutes. During that time, staff members will give free counseling to the students and perform the necessary blood test. Afterward, the student will fill out an evaluation of the entire service. The test results will be available within approximately one week of the appointment, Conklin said. Those interested must make an appointment by calling PCHA's Mazzoni Clinic in Center City at 735-1911. During the phone call, students should say they want to get tested by the Penn campus site. "I think this is the best thing that could have happened to promote safe sex on campus," said College senior Jared Miller, a FLASH Steering Committee member.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.