What services can a hotline provide?

Rick Sowadsky, MSPH
Senior Communicable Disease Specialist
Nevada State Health Division

Question:

I am doing a report and I need to find hotline numbers about AIDS and what services they provide. What can they do to help you? Is it all confidential? Do they really help? What services do they provide? PLEASE WRITE BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! This report is due tomorrow morning. Thank you!

Mr. Sowadsky's Response:

Hi. Thank you for your question.

There are different types of AIDS hotlines that provide various types of services. Some provide information about transmission, symptoms, testing etc. Others are more specialized and provide information specifically dealing with Treatments or Clinical Trials. Some provide general AIDS information, others provide more technical information.

Some hotlines are nationwide, and others only provide a service within a given region, state, or country. Many are toll-free numbers (for example 800 or 888 numbers in the USA). These are confidential phone numbers. A few hotlines (such as the Nevada AIDS Hotline) also provide services directly on the Internet, both by Websites and E-mail addresses. Sometimes the people answering the phones are paid staff, and often they are volunteers. Many, if not all, hotlines can also refer a person to local or national services that can help a persons specific needs.

AIDS Hotlines have helped literally millions of people getting their questions answered, and linking people up with local services. If you are looking for the phone numbers of these hotlines, a good place to check is in your local phone book. In the phone book, hotlines are often listed in the Community Services Section, in the White Pages, and sometimes in the Yellow Pages under the heading "AIDS" (or something similar to that). If you can't find numbers for AIDS hotlines in your local phone book, you can also call Directory Assistance.

Listings for many AIDS hotlines and services are also provided for you right here at "The Body". Go to: Helping and Getting Help to see these listings.

Some examples of various types of AIDS Hotlines available Nationwide in the United States are:

Nevada AIDS Hotline (General and Technical HIV/STD Information)
1-800-842-AIDS
E-mail: nvhotline@aol.com

Project Inform Treatment Hotline:
1-800-822-7422

AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service:
1-800-TRIALS-A

National AIDS Clearinghouse (local services/written information)
1-800-458-5231

Teens Tap (AIDS Hotline For Teens)
1-800-234-8336

If you have any further questions, call 1-800-342-AIDS.