The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is now offering free, quick and confidential HIV and STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) tests out of its Cambridge office, located on 1046 Cambridge Street, every Wednesday, from 3 to 5 pm.
Cambridge clients looking to find out their HIV/ STI status can now visit the organization’s Cambridge office, with no need for a scheduled appointment, and meet with a Community Health Worker who has been trained and certified to provide the service in a safe and confidential setting. Accommodations can also be arranged for group testing and on-site testing by contacting the organization.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this important community service to the population in Cambridge and surrounding areas,” said Milena Mello, MAPS Director of HIV/ STI Services. “It’s crucial that people know that a positive diagnosis is no longer a death sentence, and that by finding out their status and taking steps to prevent infection will keep their families and loved ones safe, as well as the community in general.”
With the expansion of this crucial service to the Cambridge office, the health and social services organization now offers free HIV/ STI tests out of all its six offices.
The tests are now available in Lowell (11 Mill Street) every Monday, from 4 to 6 PM; in Dorchester (1 Stoughton Street) every Monday, from 4 to 6 PM; in Somerville (92 Union Square) every Tuesday, from 4 to 6 PM; in Cambridge (1046 Cambridge Street) every Wednesday, from 3 to 5 PM; in Framingham (24 Union Avenue) every Thursday, from 4 to 6 PM; and in Brighton (697 Cambridge Street, Suite 203) every Friday, from 4 to 6 PM.
Besides the tests, clients will also be offered a personalized risk reduction plan, access and linkage for their health care needs, case management and referrals, and assistance if living with HIV/AIDS/STI or Hepatitis.
The MAPS HIV/ STI Program is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), MA Dept. of Public Health, and the Boston Public Health Commission.