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The MISTER Project provides HIV counseling & testing services. Our counselors are able to emotionally support both negative and positive clients, and help in identifying high risk behaviors and developing a risk reduction plan to reduce the chances of getting infected for negative individuals or re-infected for positive individuals.
The Testing Center staff understands that many individuals have other responsibilities including jobs and school, and in a lot of circumstances are unable to obtain an HIV test during normal business hours because of these obligations. For this reason, the MISTER Project has extended hours for HIV testing to include Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s from 10 AM to 7 PM, Thursday and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM. With these extended hours, we are able to provide a time that is convenient for most people.
The Counseling & Testing center offers both confidential and anonymous testing. With confidential testing, personal information as well as demographic information is required. You will also receive a handy pocket card with the results. For anonymous testing, demographic information is collected and results will be given verbally. Regardless of whichever test is chosen, all information given will be kept strictly confidential and all records will be maintained in compliance with HIPAA standards. All records are kept in a locked file cabinet in a locked room at all times. Only demographic information is used for funding and tracking purposes. The MISTER Project has a very strict confidentiality policy to which all staff are required to adhere and have signed confidentiality agreements.
Everyone obtaining an HIV test will receive their results during the same visit. There is no need to return days later for your preliminary results. The Testing Center uses the non-evasive OraQuick Rapid HIV 1/2 Rapid testing device. This means that your test will process in 20 minutes and results can be given the same day! This test can be done orally. There are no needles involved!
So what can you expect if you decide to take the smart step to obtain an HIV test at the MISTER Project Testing Center? First, we are located at 139 Ralph McGill Boulevard, just up from the Civic Center and only a two-block walk from the Civic Center MARTA station. There is free parking behind our build.
When you enter the Testing Center offices, you will be asked to give your consent to receiving an HIV test and to complete a very brief one-page form. A counselor will then meet with you and ask you some questions to identify any risks you might have related to HIV, and will discuss any ways you might wish to decrease those risks. After this brief pre-counseling session, you will be administered the OraQuick oral swab, which is essentially a small stick about the size of a Q-tip that you will swab around on your gums, and then that gets placed into a solution to process. At that point it takes the test 20 minutes to process. Once the test has finished processing, the counselor will call you back into the confidential office and give you your test results.
If your test result is non-reactive (negative), you will be given an opportunity to ask any questions before you leave, and will be given a safer sex kit to take home with you.
If your test result is reactive, we will need to obtain another test. This second test involves making a very small prick on one of your fingers for a small droplet of blood. This small finger stick is less painful than a paper cut, and most people don’t even feel the stick. This test takes approximately 20 minutes to process. If this test comes back non-reactive (negative), then you will be asked to return in approximately 30 days for another test just to be sure that your actual result is negative. If this second test returns reactive, then an additional oral swab will be obtained. This swab must then be sent off to the State Laboratory for a confirmatory test. This typically takes 3 to 5 business days. Once this test result returns, you will be scheduled for an appointment to return to obtain these results.
The Testing Center counselors can also make internal referrals to other MISTER programs, as well as to Positive Impact’s Mental Health, Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Programs for those individuals who require such referrals.
Empower yourself with the knowledge of knowing your HIV status. Bring yourself, bring a family member, and bring a friend to be tested. Let’s do this together and help in the reduction of the spread of HIV in our communities.
Free rapid HIV testing is available to both men and women over the age of 16 regardless of race or ethnicity.
For more information, please contact Kevin English at 404.589.9040 or Kevin.English@PositiveImpact-ATL.org.
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