AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) opened a new HIV clinic in Austin, Texas, that provides comprehensive care, including HIV testing, treatment, medical services, a pharmacy and services related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reports Fox 7.

 

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson joined other local and state officials at the ribbon cutting in August. The HIV clinic is located at 2927 Guadalupe Street, near West 30th Street.

 

Founded in 1987 and billed as the “largest provider of HIV medical care in the world,” AHF is based in Los Angeles. According to its website, HIVCare.org, AHF operates HIV health care centers in 16 states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico and nearly 50 countries globally.

 

Like many of its locations, the AHF clinic in Austin includes an Out of the Closet thrift store, where 96 cents of every dollar made goes into providing HIV services.

 

“One of our key missions for AHF is providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy—regardless of an individual’s ability to pay,” Anthony Snipes, regional director of AIDS Healthcare Foundation–Texas, told FOX. “When you walk through the doors, not only are you getting the ability to shop, but you’re also getting the ability to be served at our health care center.”

 

According to data compiled at AIDSVu.org, an estimated 7,128 people were living with HIV in Austin (Travis County) in 2021, with a prevalence rate of 508 people per 100,000. For comparison, the prevalence rate in the United States is 384; throughout the South, it is 461; and in Texas it is 415.

 

Looking at new HIV diagnoses in Travis County, AIDSVu notes that Latinos accounted for 50.5% of new cases, African Americans accounted for 19.8% and white people accounted for 24.4%. The majority of new diagnoses (66.7%) were among people ages 25 to 44. What’s more, 72.5% of the new cases were a result of male-to-male sexual contact.

 

Texas remains one of 10 states (mostly in the South) that have not expanded Medicaid, the federal and state program that provides health coverage for low-income adults, children, pregnant women and others.