Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS
Living with HIV is much different now than it was in the early 1990s. For many people, new treatments and aggressive therapies have substantially slowed the progression of HIV to AIDS. That does not mean that living with HIV/AIDS is not a challenge, but it does not have to be overwhelming.
Vermont has an extensive network of AIDS services organizations and HIV-specific clinics for medical care around the state. The Vermont Department of Health also provides several programs that may be extremely helpful.
- Early Intervention Program
- Vermont Medication Assistance Program (VMAP)
- Dental Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Insurance Continuation Assistance Program (ICAP)
- HRSA Part B Support Services
- Other Services
- Contact Information
AIDS Hotline
- 800-882-AIDS (800-882-2437) or 802-863-7245
Answered weekdays (except holidays), 8:30am to 4:30pm
Early Intervention Program
If you just learned you are HIV+, this program can help by paying for your initial doctor’s visits and for medical tests that will give you a baseline of information about your current health. Any physician throughout Vermont can charge the program for costs related to these tests, so you will not be faced with large medical bills while also deciding what actions to take in making treatment choices.
Tests include screenings for viral load, to help you determine what your best treatment options are. You can also be tested for Hepatitis and TB and be immunized to prevent the flu and pneumonia at the same time. If you are a woman, you may also request a Pap Test and a pregnancy test during your doctor visit
Vermont Medication Assistance Program (VMAP)
The Vermont Medication Assistance Program provides financial assistance for the purchase of prescription medications to Vermonters living with HIV disease who meets certain income guidelines. If you are eligible, this program may help pay for your treatment drugs, insurance premiums, co-pays and/or deductibles.
Application Forms
When you apply for VMAP you are automatically enrolled in the Dental Care Assistance Program.
Medication Assistance Program Formulary
Protease inhibitors and FDA-approved antiretrovirals are included in the formulary (the list of allowable medications). New medications are added through an approval process in consultation with the VMAP Advisory Committee, which is made up of consumers and medical professionals.
The HIV Dental Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
This program provides free dental assessments and offers additional preventative care, including cleanings and basic restorative treatments such as fillings. As with the Early Intervention Program, any licensed practitioner in Vermont can access this fund on your behalf.
When you apply for VMAP you are automatically enrolled in the Dental Care Assistance Program.
The HIV Insurance Continuation Assistance Program (ICAP)
This program is designed to pay the insurance premiums for eligible individuals who, because of HIV/AIDS-related illness, are unable to continue working or who have had to reduce their hours of employment and are at risk of losing their existing health insurance coverage.
Contact us for application forms
HIV/AIDS HRSA Part B Support Services
The Ryan White CARE Act
The federal Ryan White CARE Act provides coverage for health care and support services for people living with HIV disease. The program is named after Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who became an active public educator on HIV/AIDS after he contracted the syndrome. He died in 1990, the same year the legislation was passed.
- Fills gaps in care for people with low-income and little or no insurance.
- Provides grants to all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and five newly eligible U.S. Pacific Territories and Associated Jurisdictions.
- Funds the Vermont Medication Assistance Program (VMAP).
- Services are provided by AIDS Service Organizations (ASO) and Vermont’s Comprehensive Care Clinics.
To find out more about CARE Act programs in Vermont, call the HIV/AIDS Program at (802) 863-7245.
Additional information and resources
AIDS Service and Other Organizations Providing HIV/AIDS Services and Support
AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) and Comprehensive Care Clinics (CCC) are the main providers of support and services for people in Vermont Living with HIV/AIDS. Through Ryan White Title II funding, these agencies provide Medical Case Management, Mental Health, Treatment Adherence and Medical Nutrition Therapy. In most instances these services are accessed directly through the ASO and CCC, in other instances payments to third parties are made to other service providers. State funding is also awarded to the ASO's to provide Emergency Financial Assistance on a limited basis for such needs as rental assistance, fuel assistance, and food.
Other Services
In addition to the programs described above, the program staff of the HIV Service Program is available to help you address concerns relating to your AIDS Service Organization (ASO) or other HIV service provider. We encourage you to talk about your concerns directly with your provider. However, if you do not feel comfortable doing so, or if you feel your concerns have not been adequately addressed, you may contact us for assistance.
We also offer free screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and voluntary partner notification if you want to anonymously inform a sex or needle-sharing partner that they have been exposed to HIV or other STDs.
The AIDS Program also oversees the state's anonymous testing systems, offering low-cost HIV counseling and testing at 15 sites around the state.
Dial 2-1-1
Just dial 2-1-1 anywhere in Vermont for human service information and referrals to government programs, community-based organizations, support groups, and other local resources.
- Visit www.vermont211.org
Contact Information
Call 802-863-7245 to apply for or learn more about any of these programs
Services are free and confidential.
AIDS Hotline
Answered weekdays (except holidays), 8:30am to 4:30pm
- From within Vermont: 800-882-AIDS (800-882-2437)
- From anywhere: 802-863-7245