Center on Halsted launches website for its HIV hotline, renews push to get people to call in

The Center on Halsted is making a renewed push to get people connected to its HIV hotline by debuting a website alongside it.

“We’re continuing to amplify that this resource is available,” said Joli Robinson, CEO of Center on Halsted, which has administered the hotline for more than three decades.

The new push on the hotline — which can be called at 800-243-2437 or texted at 872-243-1004 — comes a day after Zero HIV Stigma Day on Sunday. The accompanying website is at hivstdhotline.com.

There were more than 41,000 Illinois residents living with HIV/AIDS as of May, including about 31,000 in Cook County, according to the Illinois Department of Health.

The hotline puts callers in contact with Center on Halsted staff who will connect them to specialty care. This includes medical providers of behavioral health support, LGBTQIA+ care, affordable or free HIV and STD testing, and PrEP and PEP locations and assistance, as well as general sexual health information.

It also provides a person to talk to.

Jasmine Mikell, the hotline director, said people are often scared to ask questions, get tested or even get treated because of the stigma surrounding HIV, which is why they keep the “non-clinical” and “warm” approach of the hotline.

She said while resources are available online, few provide emotional support to get through what can be a scary time.

“Anybody can [use] Google, most people know how to use their phone or computer,” Mikell said. “Being able to not go down a rabbit hole [of fear], or be pulled out of that rabbit hole, is really important for people. … Nothing can replace a personal, human approach. They need to have the right information to feel better.”

Mikell said adding a website was “monumental,” giving people a way to preview what they can expect to get out of a call while also providing another avenue for people to find resources — specifically young people.

About 45% of all Illinois HIV/AIDS patients are Black, and about 85% are under the age of 50, according to the Illinois Department of Health.

“[The website] is going to reach a population we really want to reach,” Mikell told the Sun-Times. “It gives people a way to start.”

Mikell started at the hotline as a phone operator, eventually working her way up the ladder.

She said her time there helped inform what the hotline and website needed, largely catering to those who couldn’t talk to anyone else about these topics.

“I saw a lot of people who reminded me of myself,” Mikell said. “A lot of them have questions about sexual health they’re not comfortable talking to their parents or teachers about.”

This doesn’t mean there aren’t more ways to improve, Mikell said, saying the group is already exploring expanding the hotline and website’s accessibility for those who don’t speak English or Spanish.

As for the success of the new initiative, Robinson said even one more person reaching out for help would be a win for them, but they also have loftier goals in reducing the stigma of HIV.

“We really want to dismantle what it means to have these labels,” Robinson said. “We want the impact to be felt at the personal level.”