WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
Call 253-1HIV (1448) to schedule an appointment to see a doctor.  Tell the person that answers the phone that you are interested in being a HIV Care Now patient. They will schedule you as quickly as possible. On the day of your appointment, arrive 15 minutes early at the Comprehensive Care Center located at 515 W. 6th Street, East Building.  After you have checked-in, you will be called to see the doctor and have lab work completed.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY FIRST APPOINTMENT?

Before you leave the Comprehensive Care Center on the day of your first appointment, you will make your next appointment to seeyour doctor to discuss lab results. This will be about 2 weeks after your first appointment. If you do not have private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, you will also schedule an appointment with an Eligibility team member. Please bring the following documents with you for your Eligibility appointment: Picture ID, Social Security card, and proof of all income in your household for the past three months.  This includes you, your spouse, and children.  For example: Paycheck stubs, SSA/SSI Award Letter, Pension Award Letter, Unemployment Compensation Award Letter, and/or a Letter of Support.  Regarding proof of having or not having health insurance, you can provide a letter on your employer’s letterhead stating they offer or do not offer insurance. 

VERY IMPORTANT:  The goal of HIV Care Now is to always provide friendly care and connection, so having the documents with you on the day of your Eligibility appointment will ensure you can continue with doctor’s appointments and prescriptions.

A PEER NAVIGATOR IS ONLY A REQUEST AWAY
A Peer Navigator is someone who is living successfully with HIV and  “knows the ropes”.  Ask the Eligibility team member to connect you with a Peer Navigator if you would like to have one assist you for a few months.

HIV CARE NOW ALSO OFFERS:

Health Education
You can request to speak with a Health Educator and ask any questions you have.

Connection to Case Management
We can help you choose a case manager that can assist you with housing, food and every day needs.

Counseling
HIV Care Now also has Mental Health Counselors available to support you.

Medication Education
A Medication Adherence Educator can help you understand all the medications you are taking. They can help answer questions such as: Why this medication? When do I have to take my medication? What happens if I don’t take my medicine?  HIV Care Now also has a Pharmacist that can answer any of your medication questions.

There are programs that can assist with paying for your medications or insurance premiums.

Dental Care
You can be connected to a Dental Clinic if you qualify for Ryan White assistance.

Support Groups
HIV Care Now has several support groups. There are groups for women only, men only, and men and women.

Advocacy/Service Improvement
You can join the Client Advisory Board to help make decisions about how the Comprehensive Care Center operates. Surveys are also available to help improve programs and services.

View the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Testing Schedule.

Test and Treat (T&T) Intervention is a key component of Florida’s plan to eliminate HIV transmission and reduce HIV-related deaths. The goal of the Test and Treat Intervention is to provide immediate linkage to HIV care and initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the time of HIV diagnosis, and/or at the time a client returns to care after a gap in services.

For further information on Test and Treat Intervention as well as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) please call (904) 253-1887 to speak with a PrEP Coordinator.

Download the PrEP brochure. (417KB PDF)

Miriam Hirschberg, DNP, ARNP

Miriam Hirschberg has specialized in HIV/AIDS care and treatment for over 20 years.  She is a great listener and wants to get to know each of her patients personally.   In addition, she takes pride in spending time with her patients to make sure they understand their condition; and helps them take the necessary precautions to live a happy, healthy life.  She has earned a doctoral degree as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (DNP, ARNP) and has provided instruction to ARNP students at the University of Florida. She has previously served as an ARNP for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. 

Pablo Pella, MD

Dr. Pella has been practicing medicine in Jacksonville since 1993, specializing in Infectious Diseases. He is board certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine, specializing in HIV/AIDS.  Dr. Pella graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from the Universidad de Panama in 1985. He completed his internship and residency at Lincoln Medical Center in Bronx, New York. He was also a Fellow at the New York Medical College located in Stamford, Connecticut. In addition to working with the Florida Department of Health in Duval, Dr. Pella has his own private practice. He is fluent in Spanish and English.  Dr. Pella is affiliated with Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville.