PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield Health Center Hosts HIV Health Fair
Event in Support of National HIV Testing Day

For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 26, 2003-PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY- The Plainfield Health Center (PHC), one of seventeen Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey, dedicated to providing cost effective primary health care services for the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities, announced today that it will host an HIV Health Fair on Friday, June 27th, in the parking lot of its main campus at the corner of Rock and Myrtle Avenues in Plainfield. The Fair will be between the hours of 10:00AM and 4:00PM, rain or shine, and is open to the entire community, not only those with HIV.

National HIV Testing Day is a program created in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) to create public awareness and community mobilization to promote the importance of early HIV detection, counseling, referral, treatment, and prevention services. People who are at high risk for HIV are urged to get tested and to get the results so they can learn their status, protect their partners, and seek appropriate services. The annual HIV testing drive this year coincides with the 20th anniversary of NAPWA’s founding. NAPWA is the oldest national AIDS organization in the United States and the first national organization of people living with HIV/AIDS anywhere in the world.

As part of the Health Fair, PHC will offer HIV counseling and testing, blood pressure screening, diabetes testing, tobacco treatment, sexually transmitted disease and other health information. Hyacinth AIDS Foundation will also be participating, providing confidential HIV counseling and testing. The day will include entertainment, music, give-aways, refreshments and more. The event is being made possible through generous funding from Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

“The Plainfield Health Center presently treats 257 HIV/AIDS patients in the greater Plainfield community,” said Dr. Cecil Mathews, Medical Director of the Plainfield Health Center’s comprehensive HIV program. “In addition to counseling and testing services targeting persons at risk for HIV infection, PHC provides treatment and support services for HIV/AIDS patients helping them live with the disease. We also work to educate the community about healthy lifestyles and prevention,” said Dr. Mathews.

The Plainfield Health Center is one of more than 10,000 organizations, health departments, and clinics around the country, participating in the annual campaign. PHC has offered HIV/AIDS counseling and testing services since 1991 as part of the Center for Disease Control-New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services HIV prevention collaboration. In addition, the Plainfield Health Center offers Early Intervention Services (EIS) to HIV/AIDS patients including primary health care, dental care, nutritional and mental health counseling, prescription assistance and case management.

To learn more about PHC’s National HIV Testing Day Health Fair, or about PHC’s HIV/AIDS program, visit our web site at www.phcmednet.org, or call the Ancillary Services Department on 908.753.6401, extension 158, or 159.

About The Plainfield Health Center

The Plainfield Health Center, incorporated as the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation, was born in 1969 under the auspices of the 1960's Model Cities Neighborhood Program. Led by a dedicated group of community activists, the Center was initially created to provide accessible health care to the residents of the West End of Plainfield.

Since then, the Center has grown, added more services, increased the number of specialties of professional health staff, and expanded its reach to the entire City of Plainfield, the City of Elizabeth, and neighboring communities. Today, the Plainfield Health Center serves more than 20,000 patients annually. Its total care program provides adult medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, school based services, dentistry and ancillary support services.

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