Positive Link HIV Services

HIV prevention and services for those living with HIV

Whether you are living with HIV, wanting to find out your HIV status, or are looking for ways to protect yourself and others, at Positive Link we have a continuum of services designed to support you with the standard of care you deserve.

Adjusting to life with an HIV diagnosis is a difficult and deeply personal experience. That is why our programming is shaped to provide you with a strong foundation of services, such as experienced care and medications like PrEP. These address your own individual health and wellness goals as well as provide you with a support system for healthy living.

About IU Health Positive Link

When you access care through IU Health Positive Link, you will find a holistic approach to managing your HIV. Whether you need access to PrEP for HIV prevention, medical care, or support services to assist with other areas of life, our team at Positive Link is here to assist you.

For those living with HIV, we offer a full continuum of services to ensure that you experience positive health outcomes. Whether you need medical care, assistance in paying bills, help understanding insurance, mental health care, or just ongoing support in navigating the health care system, you will find those services available to you at no cost.

If you are looking to prevent becoming infected with HIV, we offer Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) in all of our offices.

Not sure if your insurance covers PrEP? Simply talk with one of our PrEP Navigators who will help you access financial and medical assistance programming to ensure your access to care.

Positive Link Health Clinic

Positive Link operates a primary care and PrEP clinic weekly at their Bloomington location. For your convenience, we also have the option of telehealth at both the Bloomington and Terre Haute offices. Services include primary medical care for HIV+ individuals as well as PrEP services for those at risk of HIV infection.

What is HIV Primary Care?

If you are living with HIV, you may find that it is difficult to get in to see your Infectious Disease provider for non-HIV related issues. This is where HIV Primary Care comes in. By accessing our primary care, you will have a provider who is experienced in working with people living with HIV - but their focus will be on your health concerns that are not directly related to your HIV.

To schedule an appointment for HIV primary care, please contact our HIV Services Team at 812.353.3241 or tbaynes@iuhealth.org.

What is PrEP?

PrEP, or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a means of reducing your risk for contracting HIV by taking a once daily medication. The two medications currently prescribed as PrEP are Truvada and Descovy. Your provider will work with you to determine which medication is right for you. These medications make it difficult for the HIV virus to make copies of itself.

If taken as prescribed in the PrEP program, you can reduce your chances of acquiring HIV by over 92%. It is recommended that PrEP be used in combination with other prevention methods, such as using condoms for sex and never sharing equipment used to inject drugs.

To schedule an appointment for PrEP, please contact the PrEP Navigator at the location nearest you or email prepnavigation@iuhealth.org.

Positive Link1

What to Expect with Positive Link HIV Services

Positive Link Health Clinic

Positive Link operates a primary care and PrEP clinic weekly at their Bloomington location. For your convenience, we also have the option of telehealth at both the Bloomington and Terre Haute offices. Services include primary medical care for HIV+ individuals as well as PrEP services for those at risk of HIV infection.

What is HIV Primary Care?

If you are living with HIV, you may find that it is difficult to get in to see your Infectious Disease provider for non-HIV related issues. This is where HIV Primary Care comes in. By accessing our primary care, you will have a provider who is experienced in working with people living with HIV - but their focus will be on your health concerns that are not directly related to your HIV.

To schedule an appointment for HIV primary care, please contact our HIV Services Team at 812.353.3241 or tbaynes@iuhealth.org.

What is PrEP?

PrEP, or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a means of reducing your risk for contracting HIV by taking a once daily medication. The two medications currently prescribed as PrEP are Truvada and Descovy. Your provider will work with you to determine which medication is right for you. These medications make it difficult for the HIV virus to make copies of itself.

If taken as prescribed in the PrEP program, you can reduce your chances of acquiring HIV by over 92%. It is recommended that PrEP be used in combination with other prevention methods, such as using condoms for sex and never sharing equipment used to inject drugs.

To schedule an appointment for PrEP, please contact the PrEP Navigator at the location nearest you or email prepnavigation@iuhealth.org.

Positive Link1

HIV Prevention Services

Our Prevention Services team offers a wide variety of programs that are designed to reach individuals in need of HIV prevention, education, and testing. When HIV is detected early, and people engage in healthcare and treatment, HIV is a manageable illness. There is no cure for HIV but it can be treated. In fact, current HIV medications can result in the amount of HIV in the body to be suppressed to such low levels that HIV cannot be transmitted to another person through sex.

Positive Link delivers education on HIV, Hep C, and STIs. If you would like for us to provide HIV education or testing to a community group or medical practice, please reach out to us.

HIV and other Testing

Positive Link provides testing in several regions of the state. If we are unable to offer HIV testing in your area, we will connect you with someone who can. In addition to testing for HIV, Positive Link offers testing for Hepatitis C and Syphilis for persons with certain risk factors.

Our prevention services are grant funded by state and federal sources. In general, all rapid HIV and Hep C testing is free. Depending upon funding, the type of testing available may vary.

For more information on testing hours and locations, please call 812.353.9150 or 812.353.3169 or visit our location pages.

PrEP Navigation

If you believe Pre Exposure Prophylaxis may be an important part of your HIV prevention routine, please reach out to one of our PrEP Navigators. Our navigators are here to help you decide if PrEP is right for you.

They can help navigate your insurance coverage and access additional coverage to pay for your medication. Do not let cost or feeling overwhelmed with questions be the reason you do not access PrEP. Our navigators are here to answer all your questions and help you get to the right provider to prescribe your HIV prevention medication. For more information, email prepnavigation@iuhealth.org or visit our location pages.

Client Services

The Positive Link Client Services Team offers support and care services to those in the community infected with HIV. All services are provided without cost to the client and are available to any HIV+ individual.

While HIV infection is a life-changing diagnosis, for many individuals it is one of many issues they face. Using a comprehensive and client-centered approach, you will receive a continuum of services to assist in increasing your quality of life.

Medical/Non-Medical Case Management for people living with HIV

Our case management services function to holistically address the wellness of those infected with HIV. At its core, medical and non-medical case management provides assistance with managing HIV disease and its co-occurring disorders, while at the same time recognizing that for some their HIV status is one of many critical issues that need addressed.

Our case managers will assist you with understanding the impact of HIV, facilitate linkage to physicians, assist in accessing insurance and/or primary care, and provide social support for HIV+ individuals and their families.

In addition to the medical component of care, we provide additional support services. We facilitate support groups, offer employment assistance to applying for disability, aid in accessing mental health care, substance use, nutrition, and housing services. Positive Link seeks to reduce your unique barriers to healthcare.

For questions regarding client services or to schedule an intake to services, please contact our Client Services Coordinator at 812.353.3241 or tbaynes@iuhealth.org.

Positive Link3

Our Services

HIV Prevention Services

Our Prevention Services team offers a wide variety of programs that are designed to reach individuals in need of HIV prevention, education, and testing. When HIV is detected early, and people engage in healthcare and treatment, HIV is a manageable illness. There is no cure for HIV but it can be treated. In fact, current HIV medications can result in the amount of HIV in the body to be suppressed to such low levels that HIV cannot be transmitted to another person through sex.

Positive Link delivers education on HIV, Hep C, and STIs. If you would like for us to provide HIV education or testing to a community group or medical practice, please reach out to us.

HIV and other Testing

Positive Link provides testing in several regions of the state. If we are unable to offer HIV testing in your area, we will connect you with someone who can. In addition to testing for HIV, Positive Link offers testing for Hepatitis C and Syphilis for persons with certain risk factors.

Our prevention services are grant funded by state and federal sources. In general, all rapid HIV and Hep C testing is free. Depending upon funding, the type of testing available may vary.

For more information on testing hours and locations, please call 812.353.9150 or 812.353.3169 or visit our location pages.

PrEP Navigation

If you believe Pre Exposure Prophylaxis may be an important part of your HIV prevention routine, please reach out to one of our PrEP Navigators. Our navigators are here to help you decide if PrEP is right for you.

They can help navigate your insurance coverage and access additional coverage to pay for your medication. Do not let cost or feeling overwhelmed with questions be the reason you do not access PrEP. Our navigators are here to answer all your questions and help you get to the right provider to prescribe your HIV prevention medication. For more information, email prepnavigation@iuhealth.org or visit our location pages.

Client Services

The Positive Link Client Services Team offers support and care services to those in the community infected with HIV. All services are provided without cost to the client and are available to any HIV+ individual.

While HIV infection is a life-changing diagnosis, for many individuals it is one of many issues they face. Using a comprehensive and client-centered approach, you will receive a continuum of services to assist in increasing your quality of life.

Medical/Non-Medical Case Management for people living with HIV

Our case management services function to holistically address the wellness of those infected with HIV. At its core, medical and non-medical case management provides assistance with managing HIV disease and its co-occurring disorders, while at the same time recognizing that for some their HIV status is one of many critical issues that need addressed.

Our case managers will assist you with understanding the impact of HIV, facilitate linkage to physicians, assist in accessing insurance and/or primary care, and provide social support for HIV+ individuals and their families.

In addition to the medical component of care, we provide additional support services. We facilitate support groups, offer employment assistance to applying for disability, aid in accessing mental health care, substance use, nutrition, and housing services. Positive Link seeks to reduce your unique barriers to healthcare.

For questions regarding client services or to schedule an intake to services, please contact our Client Services Coordinator at 812.353.3241 or tbaynes@iuhealth.org.

Positive Link3

Housing Links & Emergency Assistance

For you, and many others, the importance of addressing HIV infection is secondary to securing and maintaining basic life necessities.

For others, ongoing financial support is not required, but an opportunistic infection or unexpected life situation can make maintaining health and stability incredibly difficult. In those times, you can access emergency financial assistance to pay for medication copays, medical costs, transportation assistance, utility or rental assistance and other items as needed by the individual clients. Clients of Positive Link can contact their care coordinator to access the system.

Review the Homeless Management Information System Notice of Privacy Practices.

Nutrition Assistance

Maintaining a healthy diet can impact overall wellness in any individual, including those infected with HIV. However, some of the healthiest foods can be prohibitively expensive to those with minimal and fixed incomes.

To increase the preventive care a healthful diet offers, we provide series of nutritional assistance programs. For most clients, we can provide access to shelf-stable groceries.

In addition, in partnership with the Community Kitchen, we offer daily prepared meal delivery for clients who benefit more from prepared meals. We also work closely with registered dietitians in the IU Health Medical Nutrition Therapy Program to provide group and individual MNT sessions. For more information on Nutrition Links, please contact ahays1@iuhealth.org.

Supportive Care

Supportive Care exists to delay the progression of HIV disease among HIV positive individuals by supporting you using any means that can improve your overall health. Supportive care offers harm reduction counseling for individuals for whom total abstinence from substances is not wanted or not feasible. If working towards sobriety is the path you are on, we will help you access the level of treatment to best meet your needs, whether that is an inpatient or residential program, detox, MAT, 12-step programming, or individual therapy. Your health and your goals are our priority and we will work with you to find the best fit.

Positive Link2

Contact

For more information on prevention services, contact our Prevention Coordinator at 812.353.3273 or ebrinegar@iuhealth.org.

For more information on client services, contact our Services Coordinator at 812.353.3241 or tbaynes@iuhealth.org.

Patient Stories for Positive Link HIV Services

HIV.gov

This website provides the latest news on HIV and links to federal resources dedicated to helping patients with HIV and HIV researchers.

Resources

HIV.gov

This website provides the latest news on HIV and links to federal resources dedicated to helping patients with HIV and HIV researchers.