Health Services Agency

HIV treatment does not have to mean going broke! If you are a single individual, positive with HIV, and making $62,450 per year or less, you qualify for ADAP. Please see the Federal Poverty Level guidelines to help determine income eligibility for those with a larger household size.

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) ensures timely access to approved HIV medications for low-income people living with HIV who have limited, a lapse in, or no health coverage from private insurance, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, or Medicare. Continued access and adherence to HIV medications reduces the risk of HIV transmission, the risk of drug resistance, prevents further illnesses, and increases overall health and life expectancy.

ADAP Eligibility requirements:

• Proof of Identity
• Proof of California residency
• Proof of HIV infection via a positive QuantiFERON labs or diagnosis letter
• Proof of Income with a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) that does not exceed the 500% Federal Poverty Level based on family size and household income
• Have a valid prescription from a licensed California physician; and
• Proof of Medi-cal ineligibility or lacking private insurance that covers medications.

PrEP, also known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a medication to prevent HIV. Currently, Truvada and Descovy are the only medications approved for PrEP.

For clients who are uninsured or insured but lacking coverage, our ADAP enrollment workers can assist with the Gilead application to see if a client can qualify for low cost or no cost medication. Additionally, enrollment workers will assist with the ADAP application, which helps with coverage for medical visit and lab costs. Clients who qualify will be sent to be evaluated by providers from PlushCare, a Telemedicine company, to confirm if they will be a good candidate for PrEP.

Clients will simply need to provide a proof of income and identification to start the process.

For those who are a contact to someone who is HIV positive and is not taking anti-retroviral medications or not in medical care, it is recommended to test right away. There is also an option to take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a medication that can prevent HIV after exposure. However, PEP should only be used in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after a recent exposure.

If there is a chance of HIV exposure during sex or sharing needles, please consult a health care provider or go to an emergency room. If deemed necessary, doctors can prescribe PEP, which must be taken once or twice daily for 28 days. Please note that PEP is not 100% effective.

For more information, please see our resources for HIV education from the CDC.

In addition to our Ryan White services, our HIV staff can also provide anonymous and confidential HIV testing and counseling for those who are not aware of their status. As part of the Getting to Zero initiative, we recommend all persons who are sexually active, at minimum, test yearly to know their status. For those who partake in risky behaviors, it is recommended to test routinely twice per year.

What risky behaviors leads to increased chances of getting HIV?

• Unprotected sex with multiple partners; this means having sex without a condom or not taking medications to prevent HIV.
• Anal sex, especially being a receptive partner (or bottom), without condom.
• Having a history of or current diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, and herpes. Other STI’s increase risk of getting HIV due to greater chances of being exposed to the virus.
• Use of drugs or alcohol can increase risks because substances impair judgement which can make people take risks they would not ordinarily take. This includes sharing needles or syringes.