AIDSinfo offers access to the latest, federally approved HIV/AIDS medical practice guidelines, HIV treatment and prevention clinical trials, and other research information for health care providers, researchers, people affected by HIV/AIDS, and the general public.

AIDSinfo, a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The world’s largest biomedical library, NLM maintains and makes available a vast print collection and produces electronic information resources on a wide range of topics that are searched billions of times each year by millions of people around the globe. NLM also supports and conducts research, development, and training in biomedical informatics and health information technology. The Library coordinates a National Network of Libraries of Medicine, a nationwide network of health sciences libraries and information centers with a mission to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public’s health by providing all U.S. health professionals with equal access to biomedical information and improving the public's access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. 

AIDSinfo is 100% federally funded and sponsored by the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)—both part of NIH, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

To learn more about this service, please read the AIDSinfo brochure which provides more information about AIDSinfo services and features and is available to download in a print-friendly format.

Disclaimer
AIDSinfo services and staff cannot replace direct communication with your health care provider(s). The staff cannot respond to specific medical questions, offer medical advice, give second opinions, or make recommendations about specific therapies.

AIDSinfo neither allows advertising on the website, nor endorses any company or products.

Background
The AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) was mandated by the Health Omnibus Programs Extension Act (HOPE) in 1988. This legislation required the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide a telephone reference service to disseminate HIV/AIDS clinical trials information to health professionals and the general public. ACTIS, which was created by an interagency team at NIAID, FDA, NLM, and CDC, opened in 1989. During the 11 years of its existence, the service responded to more than 225,000 telephone requests for HIV/AIDS clinical trials information. 

As new therapies and guidelines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS were approved, the need to provide up-to-date information in these areas became apparent. In 1994, six Public Health Service (PHS) agencies joined together to launch the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS) as a vehicle to quickly convey this information to people living with HIV and health care providers. ATIS became the central dissemination point for the PHS treatment guidelines through the telephone reference service and the ATIS website. ATIS was supported by funding from many PHS agencies including NIH, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA, now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – CMS), CDC, and HRSA. 

ACTIS and ATIS were merged into a single information service, AIDSinfo (https://aidsinfo.nih.gov), which became operational on December 1, 2002. infoSIDA (https://infosida.nih.gov), the Spanish-language companion website to AIDSinfo, was launched in April 2007.

Linking to this site 
The text below is the HTML for a link to the AIDSinfo home page. You can copy and paste the block of HTML text directly into your webpage. Please observe the form of the AIDSinfo name: uppercase “AIDS” and italicized lowercase “info”, and no space between “AIDS” and “info”. 

HIV/AIDS Housing Programs and Services

Caracole House

Caracole House has been offering affordable, comfortable housing for adults with HIV/AIDS since 1988. People who reside in Caracole House receive case management and referral services as well as mutual caring and 24- hour support from staff and residents.

Caracole House is open to individuals with HIV/AIDS who have no appropriate alternative living option. The House is a four-unit apartment building that houses up to eleven individuals. Each resident has his or her own bedroom in a three-bedroom suite. Food, linen and household supplies are provided. An evening meal is prepared for community residents, and food is available for all other meals.

Caracole House is supported by the United Way, the City of Cincinnati and other funders.

 Shelter Plus Care

Shelter Plus Care is a rent subsidy program for homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families. HUD provides the rental subsidies. Caracole provides intensive case management and supportive services to help these individuals and their families find and maintain appropriate housing and stay together.

Shelter Plus Care is partially funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the State of Ohio.

Caracole Recovery Community

The Caracole Recovery Community opened its doors in 2000 and offers housing and a program of recovery from chemical dependency for homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to providing case management and referral services, the Recovery Community offers a 24-hour supportive environment allowing residents to attain self-sufficiency and to recover from addiction.

The Caracole Recovery Community is supported by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the United Way and the City of Cincinnati.

Helps people obtain prescriptions they could not otherwise afford or that are not yet on the market. Provides prescriptions on a sliding scale fee, based on income. Over 1,100 rare diseases are listed on NORD`s website, including: AIDS, Alzheimer`s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson`s Disease.

Contact the National Prevention Information Network (part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) rto find current information about organizations that provide HIV/AIDS-, Viral Hepatitis-, STD-, and TB-related services, educational materials, and funding resources, or to speak to a Health Information Specialist about HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, or TB prevention. 

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET)

Columbus AIDS Task Force has operated the statewide Ohio AIDS/HIV/STD Hotline since 1988. The Hotline offers an opportunity for callers to explore personal HIV, STI and Hepatitis risk behavior, ask questions and/or seek out resources, privately and anonymously. Anonymity is guaranteed so callers feel free to explore the potential impact of HIV, STIs and Hepatitis on their lives. Hotline operators pro¬vide callers with up-to-date and accurate information about many topics including transmission, prevention methods, and testing. Each caller receives individualized attention and the Hotline provides immediate, reliable responses to persons of all ages, nationalities, ethnic groups, and economic status.

The statewide Hotline is also a resource for persons living with HIV/AIDS, and acts as an information and referral service to Ohio residents. It is the largest provider of HIV/AIDS referral information in the state. This includes referrals to counseling and testing sites (CTSs), local health departments and task forces, mental health facilities, medical, legal and dental practitioners, etc.

For individuals with communication disabilities contact the Ohio Relay Service at (800) 750-0750.



The Hotline is staffed by trained volunteers and CATF Prevention and Education staff and operates five days a week: Monday thru Friday, 9am to 7pm.

All calls to the Hotline are free and anonymous.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) administers the Ohio HIV Drug Assistance Program (OHDAP),  providing medications to fight HIV and to treat HIV-related conditions. This program must be the payer of last resort. For eligible participants, HIV-related medications are provided free of charge. The medications are obtained through a specialty mail-order pharmacy to ensure confidentiality and to ensure all geographic areas of Ohio have equal access to this service. Verification of monthly income, updated enrollment applications and a physicians report are required at the beginning of each enrollment period.