STD-HIV Prevention Program - Mississippi State Department of Health

The STD/HIV Prevention program strives to increase public awareness about HIV as well as promote the reduction of new cases. These efforts are accomplished through the use of educational resources on HIV, screening and testing, effective condom use, and partnering with community organizations that serve at-risk populations. Education is also provided to health care professionals to facilitate improvements in clinical practice and information sharing with policymakers.

In addition to community-based partners, the STD/HIV Prevention program implements public health strategies in collaboration with other state and local government agencies and departments, including the MSDH Family Planning program, the state Department of Education, and the state Department of Corrections to ensure that HIV education and prevention strategies are implemented or incorporated into existing programs.

High-Impact Prevention Strategies

High-Impact HIV Prevention (CDC)
Behavioral Interventions
Condom Use: Condoms are distributed in every Public Health Region. STD/HIV Office has increased the number of condoms to be disseminated as a structural intervention with a concentration in areas of high HIV morbidity. Condoms are distributed through MSDH county health departments and statewide community partners. Anyone may obtain condoms by visiting their local health department.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): PrEP is a new HIV prevention method in which preventive medication is taken daily by those who do not have HIV in order to reduce the risk of infection. When used consistently, PrEP has been shown to be effective in sexually active men and women.

HIV Prevention Partnerships

Planning Council

The Mississippi HIV Planning Council (MPHC) engages stakeholders and experts to improve awareness of the needs, gaps, challenges and barriers affecting Mississippians who live with or are at risk for HIV disease.

Community STD/HIV Education

The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention Education module is designed to provide information on STD/HIV prevention to the general public within the state of Mississippi. It contains up-to-date information relevant for the education and empowerment of diverse populations to decrease STDs and HIV in the state. The content of this curriculum has been developed by the Mississippi State Department of Health and includes information obtained from The National STD Curriculum of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other current and approved literature. The objectives of this curriculum include enabling the participants to:

Become knowledgeable about the different STDs in Mississippi and the relevant rates at national, state and county levels.
Describe basic symptoms of reportable STDs prevalent in the state of Mississippi.
Identify risks associated with different types of STDs.
Become familiar with prevention strategies as well as develop effective personal STD/HIV prevention plan.

Rapid HIV Testing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults in the United States get tested for HIV at least once (preferably once a year) regardless of risk factors for HIV infection. Individuals that should seek testing and are at risk for HIV are men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women, transgender men, same gender couples, women of color, bisexual men/women, and/or any individual actively engaging in sex. The Mississippi State Department of Health STD/HIV Office collaborates with numerous clinical and non-clinical testing sites statewide to offer free rapid HIV testing.

HIV Rapid Testing Centers

Rapid HIV Training

This is an onsite or in-person training for staff in clinical and non-clinical settings contracted by the MS State Department of Healthâ€™s STD/HIV Office. The participant will gain basic knowledge and demonstrate skills required for administering the waived rapid HIV test. The training is designed to introduce participants to the four essential components needed for effective rapid HIV Testing. These components are:

HIV Prevention Counseling and Providing Waived Rapid HIV Test Results
Safe Work Practices, Controls and Specimen Collection for Waived Rapid HIV Testing
Quality Assurance and Quality Control in a Waived Rapid HIV Testing Environment
Reporting Procedures and Documentation

Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to effectively conduct the rapid HIV test. A certificate of completion as a waived rapid HIV tester requires completion of the training in its entirety, including the hands-on portion. This course is regulated by federal and state laws, policies, and requirements.

More Information

For questions or for more information, please contact an Education or Training Coordinator at 601-576-7723.