Pride for Youth fighting HIV/AIDS

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Bellmore-based Pride for Youth, a leader in HIV prevention on Long Island since 1993, has launched a ground-breaking PrEP Assessment and Monitoring Program for young gay and bisexual (trans-inclusive) men, through age 30. Supported by a grant from the New York State Department of Health, the program is the first of its kind on Long Island. There are only a handful of such programs across the state.

“Expanding access to PrEP is a key to ending the AIDS epidemic in New York state, and we commend Pride for Youth for helping

lead the charge on Long Island,” said acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “PrEP has proven to be a

tremendous prevention method, but it’s essential that people who use it understand the importance of continued condom use

and the need to comply with PrEP’s strict medication regimen.”

Pride for Youth is a program of the Long Island Crisis Center in Bellmore. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a new FDA-approved, HIV-prevention method in which individuals who are not HIV positive take a pill (Truvada) each day to prevent infection. When taken consistently, PrEP reduces the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by up to 92 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control. PrEP is one of the three main components of Governor Cuomo’s End AIDS 2020 Campaign, which launched last June.

Pride for Youth’s PrEP Program expands its partnership with the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV, which provides HIV testing for young men.

Pride for Youth staff conduct initial assessments followed by active referrals to North Shore-LIJ for medical evaluation and formal enrollment for PrEP. Pride for Youth and North Shore-LIJ staff partner to provide ongoing support, monitoring and risk-reduction education to all clients. Initial assessments and monitoring are provided free of charge, with health insurance or Medicaid required for medical services and prescriptions. All services are also available in Spanish. In addition, assessment and monitoring are available for post-exposure prophylaxis, antiviral drugs that are used after a single, high-risk event to prevent HIV infection.

“Our PrEP program is an evolution of not only our commitment to HIV prevention, but also our partnership with North Shore-LIJ

to provide culturally competent healthcare to young gay/bisexual men and transgender individuals throughout Long Island and Queens,” said Pete Carney, the Pride for Youth director. “PrEP empowers individuals to responsibly take charge of their sex lives and healthcare.”