NEWSWORTHY: 30 Years Later, HIV Testing Is Easier, Faster, and More Empowering Than Ever
“Get tested. Know your status. And know that whatever your result, there are tools, treatment, and support available. HIV is manageable—and preventable.”
In June of 1995, getting tested for HIV was a much different experience; the process was slow, anxiety-inducing, and cloaked in shame for a lot of people. You might’ve waited weeks for your results, filled with dread the entire time. You might’ve done it in secret. You might not have done it at all.
But 30 years later, on the anniversary of National HIV Testing Day, the Alliance for Positive Health wants to make one thing clear: things have changed. Radically.
Today, the Alliance joins organizations across the country in commemorating three decades of progress in the fight against HIV–progress that’s not just scientific, but societal. Testing today is fast, easy, confidential, and often available outside of a traditional medical setting. Sometimes it doesn’t even require leaving your home.
“30 years ago, an HIV diagnosis felt like a death sentence,” says Kim Atkins, Executive Director of the Alliance for Positive Health. “Now, it’s a call to action and we’re here to answer it.”
Atkins isn’t speaking in abstractions. Thanks to rapid testing technology and immediate access to treatment, people who test positive today can start medication quickly, maintain their health, and live long, full lives. The Alliance’s mobile testing vans, pop-up clinics, and walk-up events throughout the Capital Region and North Country are all designed with one core idea in mind: make it easy. No appointment, no judgment, just answers in 20 minutes or less.
For those looking to prevent HIV, the options have never been more accessible. Through a partnership with Q Care+, the Alliance now offers virtual PrEP access, which lets people start a once-daily prevention pill entirely online. This includes prescription, labs, and ongoing care. No waiting rooms, no gatekeeping.
The push toward accessibility couldn’t come at a more important time. In 2022, the CDC estimated that 1.2 million people were living with HIV in the U.S. and roughly 13% of them didn’t know it. That lack of awareness complicates not only treatment but prevention. Early detection, access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and maintaining an undetectable viral load are some of the most powerful tools we have. When someone’s viral load is undetectable, the virus becomes non-transmittable through sex.
Still, the reality is that HIV continues to disproportionately affect certain communities. Black and brown Americans, gay and bisexual men, and transgender women continue to face higher infection rates often due to systemic barriers in healthcare, stigma, and access. PrEP, while revolutionary, remains underutilized, and racial and ethnic disparities persist in who is prescribed it.
That’s where organizations like the Alliance come in. Rooted in community and backed by decades of advocacy, the Alliance for Positive Health offers testing and medication alongside education, care navigation, and judgment-free support. Whether you’re seeking your first test or your fiftieth, whether you’re newly diagnosed or just want to learn about PrEP, they’ll meet you where you are. Literally. The van might be down the street.
The story of HIV in this country started in 1981, when the first cases of what would later be identified as AIDS were reported. In the decades since, we’ve lost over 700,000 lives and watched treatment evolve from fearsome to life-saving. Despite this progress, HIV hasn’t disappeared. Roughly 8,000 people still die each year with HIV as a contributing cause of death. And stigma, while not as visible as it once was, hasn’t vanished either.
What continues to change is how we talk about it, how we fight it, and most importantly, how we test, treat, and empower each other.
So yes, it’s been 30 years since the very first National HIV Testing Day, but in some ways this year feels like the most hopeful yet. We know more, we can do more, and we’re finally in an era where knowing your status doesn’t mean fearing your future.
As Atkins puts it, “Get tested. Know your status. And know that whatever your result, there are tools, treatment, and support available. HIV is manageable—and preventable.”
And that’s worth celebrating.
Knowing your status isn’t just about health. It’s about power, choice, and care. There’s never been a better time to know. Whether you’re in Albany, Schenectady, Glens Falls, or Hudson Falls, there’s a site near you:
Albany
927 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Hours: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Phone: 518-944-4558
Glens Falls
13 Chester St, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Hours: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Phone: 518-743-0703
Schenectady
155 Erie Blvd, Schenectady, NY 12305
Hours: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Phone: 518-346-9272
Hudson Falls
Hope & Healing Recovery Center
2 Maple St, Hudson Falls, NY 12835
Hours: 9:30am – 3:00pm
Phone: 518-480-5499
Testing is free, confidential, and only takes about 20 minutes, no appointment needed. You can also find the full schedule of mobile testing events at allianceforpositivehealth.org/testing-calendar.