OUR SERVICES

ActionAIDS offers a complete range of services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS, including the following:

Information and Referral – Intake workers provide general information about HIV/AIDS, information about resources for people with HIV/AIDS, and referrals for all individuals who contact ActionAIDS, regardless of whether they enter the case management system. The intake worker is available to describe the full range of services offered to anyone requesting information. Callers who are looking for case management services are referred to the regional uniform access office. General information and referral calls may be referred to the CHOICE Hotline. Housing specialists are prepared to provide callers with information and referrals to other housing organizations when appropriate.

Case Management – Our case managers are professional social workers and nurses, including specialists in mental health, drug and alcohol addictions, pre-natal care, prison issues, and the deaf and hard-of-hearing population. Establishing one-on-one relationships, case managers and clients work together to coordinate care; navigate through complex governmental systems; and access medical, social, legal, nutritional, and emergency services. The excellence of our case management system is recognized both regionally and nationally. The system serves 3,500 individuals and families each year. When appropriate, case management includes access to Emergency Financial Assistance, In-Home Support Services, and 24-hour, 7-Day-a-Week Emergency Coverage.

Emergency Financial Assistance – Clients meet with case managers to review income and budgets to help determine which benefits and entitlement programs they may be eligible for. Proof of income and expenses is required to complete these applications. The case manager explains the requirements with the client in the process of making a decision about which programs to apply for.

In-Home Support Services are provided by ActionAIDS staff and volunteers to assist clients with childcare, grocery shopping, light housekeeping, laundry, and transportation to and from medical appointments.

24-Hour, 7-Day-a-Week Emergency Coverage – ActionAIDS provides emergency coverage to provide support and guidance to clients when emergency situations arise after our regular business hours of Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. An ActionAIDS supervisor is available at all times to respond to a crisis, solve problems, defuse a situation when possible, and when necessary refer the client and/or family to the needed service. It is not expected that the supervisor on call will know the client or go to the location of the client or family to solve the emergency situation. Rather, he/she is expected to listen, assess, defuse, calm, mediate, and suggest solutions – though they may be temporary ones.

Housing Counseling – Housing counselors assess and refer clients for a variety of housing assistance programs. These include federally subsidized housing, Section 8, transitional housing, and access to shelters. Clients do not have to be receiving case management services in order to get housing counseling. Some housing subsidy programs, however, require that the client be involved in case management in order to receive the housing subsidy.

Positive Action Work Support Program – This program serves HIV-positive people who have been away from work and are considering returning to work or advancing their education. Services include counseling about how full- or part-time work will affect disability entitlements; assistance with writing resumes and cover letters; advice on how to find jobs and get interviews; assistance in applying for vocational rehabilitation and training programs; and counseling about working toward a diploma or degree.

Buddy Program – This volunteer program is the heart of our services at ActionAIDS. Our dedicated volunteer buddies are an integral part of our care teams and provide practical and emotional support to clients coping with the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

Support Groups offer a chance to meet with peers on a regular basis, give and receive emotional support, and socialize. Referrals are made to support groups sponsored by ActionAIDS and by other organizations.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies available to clients include massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and traditional Chinese herbs.

HIV Testing Services Free rapid HIV testing is available at three locations. Confidential or anonymous testing is provided to clients on a walk-in or appointment basis. OraQuick Advance is the test we use; it is an oral swab and no blood is required. The testing process takes about 30- 45 minutes and results are provided during the appointment. For clients who test positive, our counselors provide support and refer clients for appropriate medical care and other services.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at 215-981-0088.

Testing locations and times:

1216 Arch Street, 6th Floor
By appointment Monday through Friday.
Walk-in hours:
Mondays 10 am - 12 pm
Tuesdays 2 pm - 4 pm
Wednesdays 1 pm - 4 pm
Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm

2641 North 6th Street (6th and Lehigh Ave) 215-291-9700
Tuesdays 10 am- 2 pm
or by appointment

Washington West Project - 1201 Locust Street
Thursdays 6pm- 9pm

Prison Services – The Philadelphia Linkage Program provides services to HIV-positive individuals serving time in the Philadelphia County Jail System. Prison case managers work with inmates prior to release in order to ensure that they continue to receive medical, social, and other services after discharge. Referrals are coordinated inside the prisons through Prison Health Services and the infections disease physician at (215) 335-5029, or outside the prison through ActionAIDS prison case managers at (215) 981-0088. Please include the name of the inmate, the police photo identification number, and the name of the holding institution for each referral.

Education and Prevention Services – ActionAIDS’ Education and Prevention Department provides two primary services:

Speaker’s Bureau:
- Individuals living with HIV/AIDS have been trained and oriented to provide training on HIV/AIDS while they share their own account of living with the virus.
- Members deliver community presentations to youth and other at risk population through speaking engagements and health fairs.
In our experience, as much as professionals can have an impact presenting HIV/AIDS information with latest knowledge of emerging trends and statistics, our Speakers Bureau members also have a significant impact in sharing a lived reality.
Prevention case management, a program in which social workers and counselors work with individuals to reduce their risk of becoming infected or re-infected with HIV, or passing HIV on to others.

The staff of the Education and Prevention Department is available to provide presentations about the Social Network Project or prevention case management. The staff also offers general introductory presentations about HIV/AIDS to drug and alcohol treatment facilities, mental health care facilities, universities, and other organizations. For information about the Social Networks Project, prevention case management, or to request a presentation, please call Beth Hagan, Director of Client Services at 215-981-3359.

Consumer Affairs Committee – The committee leads the organization’s advocacy efforts. We have been proud to partner with a number of community service providers and groups in advocating for increased services for people with HIV disease.

Individual Advocacy is an ongoing and vital part of our services. While we serve many clients during the course of a year, our focus is always on the value and importance of the one-on-one relationship that a client has with one of our staff. Out of that relationship and in partnership with the client, we are able to identify areas that could be improved to help the client live more successfully. Our staff is committed to working with clients to ensure that all are treated fairly and have access to housing, medical care, social services, and benefits and entitlements.

Immediate Seating - ActionAIDS offers a complimentary ticket program exclusively for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. For more information, see the Immediate Seating website.