GET CHECKED AHL
Get tested from the comfort of your home.
GetCheckedAHL is Access Health Louisiana’s home-based testing program that provides free HIV testing and counseling to residents across southeast Louisiana. ** (At this time, the program is not available to patients living in Central Louisiana.)** Participants will receive a home-based kit and will be scheduled for a real-time virtual testing appointment with a trained healthcare professional. During this appointment, the testing navigator will walk you through the steps of testing, offer counseling and support, and discuss your results with you.
How to know if you need a test.
At Access Health Louisiana we believe that testing for HIV and other STIs should be a part of your routine healthcare. HIV can be contracted through sexual activity, breast milk, and blood to blood contact. If you have engaged in activities that include these fluids and/or have never been tested, then requesting one of our at-home HIV tests may be the right choice for you.
***If you have reason to believe that you have had a possible exposure to HIV in the past 72 hours, call Access Health Louisiana at the Pythian Clinic at (504) 226-2976 and ask to see a provider about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) means taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) medicines after being potentially exposed to HIV to prevent becoming HIV positive. It is very important that you contact us immediately if you think you have been exposed to HIV because PEP is most effective within the first 72 hours after an exposure.
The OraQuick oral swab test used by GetCheckedAHL can give you accurate results 3 months from exposure. Most people will develop antibodies to HIV within this period of time. If you test within 3 months of possible exposure and the result is negative, you may want to take the test again once you pass the 3 month mark.
These tests can only be used to test for HIV. If you need to be tested for pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, please contact Access Health Louisiana at the Pythian clinic at (504) 226-2976 to set up an appointment.
Get Your Test.
You can request a home-based test three different ways:
- Fill out the request form online below. This is the preferred method because the information you provide will be almost everything we need to get you registered and mail your test kit to you. We will be in touch within 24 hours of you completing the form; or
- Email hometest@accesshealthla.org with your name and phone number. We will be in touch within 24 hours to get you registered; or
- Call Access Health Louisiana at the Pythian clinic at (504) 226-2976 and request a home-based HIV test kit. You will be linked to a testing navigator who will get you registered.
Once you complete your request, you will be registered as an Access Health Louisiana patient and the kit will be mailed to your house or your preferred shipping location. Our test kits can be mailed to residents across southeast Louisiana.
Your privacy matters. Everything you tell us, whether through the online form or a phone call, is confidential. We will need your name and an address where you can receive mail so we can send you the kit. The test kit will be packaged in plain materials and discreetly labeled.
Fill out the request form to receive a free, at-home HIV test kit. Your privacy matters. Everything you tell us is confidential. We need your name and address so we can send you the kit. The package will be unmarked and discreetly labeled.
What’s in the kit?
- OraQuick rapid HIV test. FDA-approved oral swab in- HIV test. An oral swab test only requires a saliva sample and produces results in 20 minutes.
- When used as directed, the OraQuick oral fluid test provides results that are up to 99.9% accurate.
- The kit will also include informational resources on sexual health and Access Health Louisiana services.
How to Test.
After you request the test kit, our testing navigator will contact you to register you as a patient and set your virtual testing appointment.
You do not need insurance for this appointment and there is no copay required for this service. Nor will you need to change your primary care provider if you have a personal doctor already that you see regularly.
During this appointment, the navigator will walk you through the “how to” of the test and chat with you while you wait for results. These tests are rapid oral swab kits and they should produce results within 20 minutes. After you receive your results, our testing navigator will explain what they mean and recommend next steps in the case of both a positive and negative test.
While you can take the test on your own, we do not recommend skipping the virtual appointment. Our team of trained healthcare professionals is here to offer counseling and support throughout the testing process. If you have any questions about the virtual appointment, please email us at hometest@accesshealthla.org or call the Pythian clinic at (504) 226-2976.
The at-home HIV test is safe and easy. GetCheckedAHL uses the OraQuick rapid HIV test. You will swab the inside of your mouth and get the result in 20 minutes.
Understanding your results.
If your test results may cause you stress or anxiety, our team of behavioral health experts are available for appointments.
The Oraquick Rapid HIV test is an antibody testing. This means it is looking for the antibodies that are trying to fight of HIV, not the virus itself. We encourage you to get tested every 3 months.
Note: This test should NOT be taken if you have previously tested positive for HIV and are on treatment
- Negative: Now that you have completed your test, we encourage you to get tested every 3 months. Getting tested and participating in safer sex practices is the best way to remain negative. Ask your navigator, call us, or check out our website here for more information on PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), condoms, and other safer sex practices.
At AHL, we have tools to help you remain HIV negative. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a safe, daily pill that, if taken as directed, significantly reduces your chance of contracting HIV. Taking PrEP and getting tested for sexually transmitted infections regularly can help reduce the risks of acquiring HIV infection. If you are interested in getting on PrEP, we can link you to an expert HIV/STI specialist who can prescribe you PrEP and other sexual health resources.
- Positive: This result is what we call a preliminary positive. The testing navigator is here to guide you through the next steps. They can answer any questions you may have and will get you setup with an AHL provider to do some additional labs.
It is important for people who test positive for HIV to start medical care and take medicine to treat HIV as soon as possible after diagnosis. At AHL, all individuals who test positive for HIV are offered starter packs of medications until their prescription is filled. We will get you into an AHL clinic for follow-up labs on the same or next day, at which point you will receive your antiretroviral (ART) starter pack. Case managers are available to assist with applying for all sources of financial assistance a person is eligible for receiving to pay for the costs of on-going medications.
HIV is unlike many other viruses because the human body can never completely get rid of it. However, taking HIV medicine as prescribed can make your viral load, or the amount of virus in your body, very low. This is called viral suppression. When your viral load gets so low that a test can’t detect it, it is known as undetectable. If your viral load stays undetectable you have no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative sexual partner. This is known as U=U, or Undetectable = Untransmittable.
People with HIV live long and healthy lives when they get and stay on treatment. Our care teams at Access Health Louisiana will provide you with resources and support to help you understand your new diagnosis and manage your sexual health care needs.
- Invalid: Don’t worry. You did not do anything wrong. Something happened during the shipment of the test. The testing navigator will help you get a replacement test or setup a testing appointment at a nearby AHL location.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the program, you can email us at hometest@accesshealthla.org or call the AHL Pythian Clinic at 504-226-2676.
