The Utah County Health Department offers free HIV testing for anyone interested for one week every June and December – aligning with Pride Month and HIV awareness month. Testing will begin next Monday and go until June 30.

“We see populations from all walks of life that are affected by HIV. So this is something that is definitely important for Utah county and for all demographics,” said Aislynn Tolman-Hill, health department public information officer.

While the target group is the homeless population and those who are sexually active with more than one partner — because those groups are at the highest risk for HIV — those are not the only groups of people that should get tested.

“It’s really anyone. It’s good information and good knowledge for anyone to have, whether or not they might be at risk for HIV. It’s just good peace of mind,” she said.

Tolman-Hill explained it is not an easy service to provide, due to moving around staff to make sure enough workers are available, but it’s a priority for the office.

A regular appointment for HIV testing lasts about 20 minutes and the patient will receive the test results before they leave the office. Tolman-Hill said they offer counseling on the next steps or, depending on the results, will schedule a future appointment. She added for the walk-in day they usually will get the patients seen quickly and will pull more staff as needed.

The free HIV tests are popular, and the department has gotten positive feedback from patients in years past. Almost all of the appointments for June’s free testing are already booked, Tolman-Hill said.

Along with test results, the department seeks to educate people about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Individual education of patients, Tolman-Hill said, is more effective than large-scale education on topics like STIs. The goal is for individuals to bring the education into their communities and spheres of influence.

“With the political state of Utah county and how conservative Utah county is, it’s hard to talk about STIs as a whole,” she said.

This positive community feedback is why the weeks following the free testing are often very busy, Tolman-Hill said. Target groups will have a positive experience with the nurses and then refer their friends to that specific nurse, leading to a “ripple effect” after every free testing week in June and December.

Nurses are open to questions and Tolman-Hill said their number one goal is to make sure the “individual is being respected, being cared for and getting the best service and care that they can receive.”

The topic can be sensitive for the patients, but ongoing communication is key for the department’s success in getting more people aware of their HIV status.

“They can get to a point in their relationship with a medical professional where they can ask questions, where they can be able to live their life, but be able to do so in the safest way possible,” she said. “If we as a public health entity can help people live their life in the safest way possible, help them be healthy, but yet, prevent the spread of disease we are doing our job.”

An appointment can be scheduled by calling the department. The office is open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., but walk-ins will be accepted from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday. The clinic is located at 151 S University Ave in Provo.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect the dates of free HIV testing by the Utah County Health Department. Testing will be done June 26-30.

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