The Philadelphia Center

According to the most recent data from the CDC HIV Surveillance Report, Louisiana ranked fourth in HIV and AIDS case rates. As of September 2021, a total of 22,511 persons are living with HIV in Louisiana, of these individuals 11,155 have an AIDS diagnosis. In 2019, Louisiana ranked 9th in the nation for primary and secondary syphilis. Gonorrhea cases ranked fifth, chlamydia cases ranked second. The Philadelphia Center is the only free HIV/AIDS resource center for people living with HIV/AIDS in Northwest Louisiana. Client Services provides case management, mental health services, food vouchers, housing assistance, transportation, and support groups. Prevention and Outreach Department impacts the community through providing HIV testing, counseling, referral and prevention services, safer sex tools, community education, and outreach programs free of charge to the community. We operate a GBT Health Center for the gay, bisexual, and transgender community that provides free STD testing and treatment. To expand on the services provided in the GBT Health Center, the PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) Clinic opened in 2016, prescribing a daily pill that provides a 92% effectiveness at preventing the transmission of HIV. In 2020, the Syringe Service Program launched to provide comprehensive harm reduction supplies such as sterile syringes, safe syringe disposal, and Naloxone to reverse overdoses. The Philadelphia Center owns and manages the Mercy Center, which is the only HIV/AIDS-specific, 24-hour residential housing program in Northwest Louisiana. The Mercy Center provides permanent, supportive housing in which PLWHA can live as productive and active lives as possible.