Partner Services is HIV/STI Prevention

Partner Services a free and confidential health department program that assists in linking persons with STIs and/or HIV and their partners to testing, treatment, medical care, prevention interventions and/or other appropriate support services in order to improve their health outcomes and reduce the risk of transmission to others. Partner Services Specialists work with people diagnosed with the following infections:

STIs, including HIV, are spread through sexual contact. HIV is also spread by sharing syringes (needles) and other drug works. If you’ve been diagnosed with an STI or HIV, you may have sex or needle-sharing partners who are not aware they too may be living with HIV or have an STI. Subsequently your partners may not be getting the care and treatment that can preserve their health and protect their partners from acquiring HIV or an STI, too. Informing your partners contributes to the successful detection, diagnosis, and treatment of transmitted infections.

Partner Services works with people to plan the best way to notify their sex and needle-sharing partners about their exposure to an STI or HIV.

Partner Services works best when partners are informed of their exposure as soon as possible. This helps to quickly reduce spreading the infection to other people, from your partner to their other partners.

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What Partner Services does for you

After being told by a health care provider that you have an STI and/or HIV, you will be offered medication (treatment) and follow-up appointments. Something you might not think about is informing your past and current partners right away.

Partner Services staff can help you in many ways. For example, you can talk to a trained person (Partner Services Specialist) about your STI/HIV, other medical information, how to reduce your risk, and how to notify your sex and/or needle-sharing partners. They will talk with you about your options, and help you to set up a plan for those partners who need to be notified and offered testing and treatment for their exposure.

Your privacy and confidentiality

Your medical and personal information is always kept confidential. Using Partner Services is free and confidential. If you want the Partner Services Specialist to talk with your partners, the Specialist will not share any personal information about you.  This includes your name, age, gender, race, and any other information you have given. The Partner Services Specialist will not tell the partners when they were exposed and will not tell them if there are other partners.