HIV Care

HIV Care at UVM Health

The HIV Comprehensive Care Clinics at University of Vermont Health provide full-spectrum services for adults living with HIV. In addition to HIV testing, counseling and treatment, we offer primary care, sexual health care, mental health care and emotional support services. We are home to infectious disease specialists with expertise in sexual health, who provide state-of-the-art HIV treatment in a caring and supportive environment.

Our clinic locations throughout Vermont and northern New York mean you have access to specialized care no matter where you live.

Why Choose UVM Health?

As one of the leading infectious disease programs in the region, we offer:

Comprehensive services: Our team can help you navigate insurance, care affordability and connect you to community resources for transportation, housing and food security. Our Vermont-based HIV clinical sites offer comprehensive HIV services with federal and state support from the Ryan White HIV and AIDS Program.
Extensive support: We spend time educating and supporting you in understanding your diagnosis and navigating conversations with your loved ones. Our Patient Advisory Group enables people living with HIV a chance to shape our HIV program by providing feedback on clinic operations and offering peer/mentor support.
Specialized experts: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physicians stay up to date on novel treatment options, always bringing you the latest therapies.
Access to care: Our Comprehensive Care Clinics are also located within area hospitals, including Rutland Regional Medical Center, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital.

HIV Testing and Prevention

We offer comprehensive sexual health care, evaluation and confidential HIV/STI testing and counseling in a warm, nonjudgmental environment.

HIV diagnosis may involve tests to:

Look for the presence of HIV antibodies in your blood or saliva
Measure the amount of virus in your blood (viral load) and guide treatment decisions
Check for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections
Evaluate kidney, liver and metabolic status

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

Research shows that HIV PrEP reduces the risk of HIV through sex substantially (up to 99% with oral PrEP) when taken as prescribed. Our providers can give you more information on PrEP and help you decide if it’s right for you. Our clinicians provide:

Oral HIV PrEP (tenofovir-based)
Injectable HIV PrEP (cabotegravir)
Comprehensive sexual health services that include STI screening, testing and treatment

HIV Treatment

There are several effective treatments for HIV. The goal of treatment is to reduce your viral load to an undetectable status. Based on the U=U concept, a viral load that is undetectable is untransmittable.

We offer oral and injectable antiretroviral therapies to suppress the HIV virus and reduce your viral load. Your HIV care will include:

Primary Care for HIV

Primary care includes preventive health care and the diagnosis and management of common health conditions. HIV clinicians also ensure that people living with HIV are up to date on vaccinations and routine cancer screenings, including cervical and anal Pap smears and mammograms.

Mental Health Services and Support for HIV

Being diagnosed with HIV can be life-changing. Our goal is to provide the support you need so you can focus on living well. We care for people regardless of insurance status or ability to pay and connect you with resources that help make your health care more affordable. We also provide mental health care and offer resources to ensure you can access all the services you need.

We have peers available for one-on-one support through messaging, phone calls or in-person meetings. Speaking to someone with lived experience is an important way to reduce isolation and gather information about living with HIV. Learn more about joining the Patient Advisory Group by emailing us at CCCpeeradvisors@uvmhealth.org.

Patient Resources

Patient Advisory Group: The Patient Advisory Group engages in periodic zoom and in-person meetings and develops/disseminates a newsletter targeting the community of PLHIV across the region. To learn more, email CCCpeeradvisors@uvmhealth.org.