Harmony and Chicagoland HIV Testing Collaborative Unite for 2015 Step Up. Get Tested. Campaign

CHICAGO - May 21, 2015 - PRLog -- CHICAGO, IL – May 6, 2015 -The scope of the 2015 Step Up. GetTested. (SUGT) Campaign during National HIV Testing Day, in the month of June has been significantly enhanced by a new partnership with Harmony Health Plan of Illinois, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.  The SUGT campaign, developed by the Chicagoland HIV Testing Collaborative (CHTC), will now include both HIV and hepatitis C testing and linkage to care services as part of the campaign’s initiatives throughout the month in areas across Chicagoland as a result of this partnership.

“Harmony is very excited to partner with Step Up. Get Tested. and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago  in June to heighten awareness around National HIV/AIDS Testing Day,” said Dr. Robert Hilliard Jr. , president of Harmony Health Plan of Illinois.  “The campaign will encourage everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 to get tested for HIV as part of their routine health care. Additionally, it will promote holistic health and wellness by providing and encouraging testing for hypertension, hepatitis and diabetes. This partnership works to meet people where they live to positively affect their quality of life, and provide sustainable support and services for communities.”

Step Up. Get Tested.is an unified effort supported by the Chicagoland HIV Testing Collaborative – a group of 25 community and public health organizations that have joined forces to promote HIV testing in the city’s most at-risk communities since 2012.Harmony Health Plan of Illinois provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. The company works with physicians, hospitals, government agencies and communities to provide continuous improvements in quality and access to care for the nearly 220,000 low-income children and families, and elderly they serve.

“The SUGT campaign collaborative is elated to have Harmony as a partner,” said Anne Carmack of The CORE Foundation, a 501c3 affiliate of the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, CHTC’s fiscal agent.  “This partnership has allowed CHTC to greatly expand its SUGT campaign components relative to past years,” Carmack went on to say.“  As we move toward a more affordable health care system in the U.S., it makes sense to partner with one of the premiere health plans in our region” added SUGT Strategic Director, Anthony Galloway of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago – another SUGT affiliate. “We anticipate improving outcomes and accelerating progress through such a partnership,” he continued.

The initiative will also include bus shelter, print and radio advertisements that feature a collaborative campaign message, and call-to-action to drive testing and participation in targeted high-risk communities.

This partnership will kick off on June 4^th and run through June 30^th.

June 4, 2015        Kick-Off Ceremony Commemorating Chicagoland HIV          Testing Month.

James Thompson Center/State of Illinois Building Plaza, 1:00-2:00pm .

100 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL

Speakers to include Civic Officials, Leaders of Government and Community Based Organizations, SUGT Partners and  Sponsor Representatives

Distribution of “Safe Sex” Kits and Flyers promoting June events

June 5, 2015

10:00am – 4:00pm          FREE HIV Testing near CTA “L” Stations:

         •Roosevelt (Red, Orange, Green lines) - Press Event

• 87^th & Dan Ryan

         • Howard (Red line)

• Central & Lake (Green Line) – 63^rd & Halsted St.

.          • Harvey Bus Terminal

• Humboldt Park

June 7, 2015          "Soul Music Festival in the Park" 39th Street Beach

11:00am - 7:00pm

June 12, 19, 26, 2015          “Testing Across Chicagoland”

10:00am – 2:00pm          FREE HIV Testing near CTA “L” Stations:

         • June 12:  Wilson Redline

• June 19: Pulaski & Lake

         • June 26: 47^th & King

June 13, 2015          Markham Roller Rink, 16630 Dixie Highway, Markham, IL

4:30pm - 7:30pm          “Youth Skate Party ages 13-20” Free skate rental for those who step up and get tested. Onsite Remote Radio Broadcast:  Power 92

June 27, 2015          The Rink

6:30pm - 10:30pm          “Youth Skate Party ages 13-20” Free skate rental for those who step up and get tested. Onsite Remote Radio Broadcast:  Power 92

June 28, 2015          Pride Festival at Montrose

10:00am – 8:00pm

Starting in June, Harmony and SUGT will sponsor16 community testing events across the Chicagoland area.  Throughout June, visit http://stepupgettested.com to learn more about the campaign and to get more event information.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO HIV TESTING COLLABORATIVE

Step Up. Get Tested. is a unified effort supported by the Chicago HIV Testing Collaborative – a group of community and public health organizations that have joined forces to promote HIV testing in the city’s most at-risk communities. For a full list of initiative partners visit www.StepUpGetTested.com/partner-agencies.

STATISTICS

Every 9.5 minutes, someone in the U.S. becomes HIV-positive, and almost one in seven people living with HIV are unaware of their infection. In Chicago alone, an estimated 25,000 people are living with HIV, and more than 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Recent reports from the Chicago Department of Public Health state that the number of new cases of HIV and AIDS diagnosed annually in the city has dropped by 46% and 43% over the past ten years, respectively. However, the same report shows that over the past five years, 20-24 year olds in Chicago are the only group continuing to see a rise in new HIV infections.

ABOUT HARMONY HEALTH PLAN

Harmony Health Plan, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. , provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. The company works with doctors, hospitals, governments and communities to provide quality, cost-effective health care solutions.

For more information about Harmony WellCare, please visit the company's website at

www.harmonyhpi.com.  For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company’s videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

#SUGTHarmony