General Questions

1. What if I want general information about HIV/AIDS and where I can get tested for HIV?
   
   The CDC National AIDS Hotline (NAH) can answer these questions. It is available 24 hours a day. The Hotline provides confidential and reliable information on HIV/AIDS and other STDs.
   
   There are several toll-free phone numbers available:
   • The main Hotline toll-free number is
     1-800-342-2437.
   • The Spanish language toll-free number is
     1-800-344-7432.
   • The National AIDS Hotline TTY services can be accessed at
     • 1-800-243-7889;
       
     • 919-361-8454 TTY;
       
     • 919-361-8484 TTY2; and
       
     • 919-361-4855 for Fax.
   
   
   
2. What kind of information does CDC offer?

   They can help with questions like these:

   • What is HIV and how can I get it?
   • What is AIDS?
   • How can I protect myself?
   • How do I know if I have HIV or AIDS?
   • What can I do if the test shows I have HIV?

   You can also visit their various websites, some of which are listed here:

   • CDC's Home Page
     http://www.cdc.gov
     
   • CDC's AIDS National Hotline (NAH)
     http://www.ashastd.org/hotlines/index.html
   • NAH's Hotline for Teens
     http://www.iwannaknow.org
   • National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention
     http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/nchstp.html
   • Check our Federal Links section for additional web pages.
   
   
   
3. What kind of information do you have regarding funding for organizations working in HIV and AIDS?

   You can start by checking the Funding pages of our web site for announcements, and funding opportunities under the Ryan White Care Act and from private sources.

   You can also request a search from our Funding Database by calling our toll-free number 1-800-444-6472. Speak with an information specialist about the type of funding you are searching.
   
   

4. What kind of information do you have about HIV/AIDS and how it affects minorities groups in the U.S.?

   Much of the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative's pages have information specific to

   • African American/Blacks
   • Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
   • American Indian/Alaska Natives, and
   • Hispanics/Latinos

   We can provide you with information such as

   • fact sheets about prevention among these populations,
   • a database search for organizations working with these communities,
   • article citations, and
   • statistics by racial and ethnic categories.

   If you don't find what you are looking for on the web site, please call the toll-free number 1-800-444-6472 and an information specialist will be glad to assist you.
   
   

5. Do you have any information on cultural competency and HIV/AIDS?

   We have many resources related to this topic.

   You can find information on the Prevention section.

   The January 2000 issue of OMH's newsletter, Closing the Gap, focused entirely on cultural competency. It is available online or you can request a copy by calling our toll-free number 1-800-444-6427.

   You can also request information on additional resources on cultural competency by calling the toll-free number..
   
   

6. I'm organizing a health fair and would like to have materials to distribute about HIV and AIDS. Where can I get free materials?

   We can provide you with materials such as Closing the Gap, HIV Impact, flyers about our information and services, and our HIV/AIDS information packets. You can request these materials by calling 1-800-444-6472.

   You can also contact the CDC National Prevention Information Network by calling 1-800-458-5231 for brochures, fact sheets, and posters to educate people about HIV/AIDS prevention.