Contact Information
For further information about Get Tested Coachella Valley/Hazte la Prueba Valle de Coachella, please call: 855-YES-GTCV
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:
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:
The campaign was launched to the general public in January 2014.
Key milestones to date include:
Evento crea conciencia sobre el VIH y ek Sida – Univision Palm Springs
Free HIV Testing Expands at Walgreens – KMIR
Our Voice: Get Tested Has Great Start in AIDS Fight – The Desert Sun
Get Tested, Coachella Valley! – Coachella Valley Weekly
Get Tested Leaders Share Progress from First Full Year – The Desert Sun
Experts: HIV Stigma Down But Support Still Needed – The Desert Sun
Clinton Calls for “Grassroots” Approach to Healthcare – KESQ
Free HIV Testing to Be Available at Select Walgreens Stores Across the Valley – KMIR
Bill Clinton Lauds Get Tested Coachella Valley – The Desert Sun
Get Tested, Walgreens Expand HIV Testing to 3 New Sites – The Desert Sun
Get Tested Coachella Valley Seeks Routine Testing – The Desert Sun
Get Tested Coachella Valley Offers Free HIV/AIDS Testing – KESQ
How does the rate of HIV in the Coachella Valley compare to the national average?
The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the Coachella Valley is over two times higher than the national rate — putting everyone at greater risk.
What percentage of people in the U.S. who have HIV are unaware that the have it?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that approximately one in eight people with HIV does not know they are infected.
What percentage of Coachella Valley residents have never been tested for HIV?
A study conducted by HARC just prior to the launch of our campaign determined that over half of Coachella Valley residents have never been tested for HIV.
What leading experts endorse routine HIV testing for all American adults and adolescents?
Among others, routine HIV testing for all American adults and adolescents is recommended by:
How does HIV testing help to decrease the rate of HIV?
Behavioral studies have shown that those who do not know that they are HIV-positive are more likely to engage in risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission, whereas people who test HIV-positive take steps to keep others from being exposed to the virus.
How does linkage to care help to decrease the rate of HIV?
It has been scientifically proven 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.
Is the Get Tested Coachella Valley community partnership strategy consistent with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy issued by President Obama in 2010?
Yes. As stated in the National HIV/AIDS strategy: “The job of implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy…does not fall to the Federal Government alone, nor should it. Success will require the commitment of all parts of society, including State, tribal and local governments, businesses, faith communities, philanthropy, the scientific and medical communities, educational institutions, people living with HIV, and others.”