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A study conducted by the California Department of Health Office of AIDSindicates the number of Latinos with AIDS increased nearly 128% between 1996and 2006. This is due in part to a disturbing trend that indicates Latinosare "late testers" often diagnosed with HIV six months to one-year before theycontract AIDS. AIDS is the leading cause of death for male Latinos ages 22-44and the second cause of death for Latinas in the same age group. Earlydetection is critical to ensure HIV patients have access to medical treatmentthat can improve their chances of leading long and healthy lives.
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"We commend the Mayor for his leadership on this issue and are proud tosupport his effort to make HIV testing and counseling more routine andaccessible," said Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed HealthServices. "AltaMed is at the forefront of providing culturally appropriateHIV/AIDS care and services to Latinos. Together with our community partners,the Latino Coalition Against AIDS, and the City of Los Angeles, we are fullycommitted to expanded testing, to getting Latinos diagnosed earlier and toconnecting them with the necessary care and treatment."
The AltaMed HIV Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) was on hand to administer freeHIV tests to the community of Ramona Gardens. The MTU is just one of manyservices offered by AltaMed specifically tailored for the Latino communitythat include mental health, medical treatment, the AIDS Drug AssistanceProgram, access to clinical trials, educational and advocacy programs, supportgroups and individual and family case management. In keeping with the AltaMedtradition of quality, all services are patient centered and administered bymedical professionals highly skilled in the field of medicine and theprevention of HIV.
"Treating those with HIV and AIDS requires skill and compassion, both ofwhich you will find at AltaMed," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "I commendthem for their leadership in the fight against AIDS, providing the latesttreatments and helping their patients cope with the disease."
AltaMed's HIV/AIDS Services are available through the MTU and five AltaMedClinics located throughout the Greater East Los Angeles area. For moreinformation on AltaMed's HIV/AIDS services call (323) 869-5450 or visit theEast Los Angeles -- Commerce Clinic located at 5427 Whittier Boulevard, LosAngeles, CA 90002.
ABOUT ALTAMED HEALTH SERVICES CORPORATION
AltaMed Health Services, a private nonprofit organization, is a majorprovider of health and human services in the Greater Los Angeles area and thelargest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the State of California.The mission of AltaMed is to provide high quality, coordinated, comprehensivehealth and human services to the underserved in Southern California, withparticular attention to Latino and multi-ethnic populations. AltaMed began asthe East Los Angeles Barrio Free Clinic in 1969, a volunteer-staff storefrontproviding basic medical services. Today AltaMed's services area extendsbeyond East Los Angeles, to the immediately surrounding and contiguous GreaterEast Los Angeles area.
SOURCE AltaMed Health Services Corporation
