How BCS is Fighting the Stigma Surrounding HIV

Data reports that one in five Americans living with HIV are unaware they are infected. What’s more, a 2020 study found that nearly thirty percent of New Yorkers with HIV did not receive care or treatment. BCS’ Street Outreach program is committed to changing these statistics.

The BCS Street Outreach program provides mobile health and hygiene services to hundreds of individuals across Brooklyn, through the BCS Shower Bus and the Street Outreach Mobile Testing Unit.

While primary functions of the mobile units are in their respective names, the Street Outreach program extends beyond just showers and HIV Testing. Staff at the program provide holistic public health services through referrals and connection to vital healthcare for Brooklynites across the borough. At the Street Outreach Mobile Testing Unit, anyone can simply drop in and receive a free HIV test whenever they come across the van in the community. The van operates three days per week, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 10 am to 3 pm.

The Testing Van primarily serves the MSM (men who have sex with men) population. They source clients from two other Brooklyn organizations that serve the LGBT community – Mixteca and Brooklyn Community Pride Center and on the app Grindr. Although the MSM population is the most at risk for contracting HIV, anyone is welcome (and encouraged) to get tested at the van.

“People will say, ‘I don’t need to be tested because I’m married’,” Edgar, a longtime staff member, explains. “We tell them how it’s still possible to get infected even if they’re married. You can tell people feel more empowered to have that knowledge. We encourage couples to come and do the testing. All they need to do is call us, and we find a way to get to them. It’s very rewarding to know that people are getting the knowledge.”

While the testing van itself only conducts HIV testing, referrals and connection to a wide array of health services create a 360 approach to support for users. Through HIV Navigation Services, clients can be connected to PrEP or PEP treatment, referred to other STI testing, or even to mental health facilities.

“We can connect you to various resources. We can provide you access to health and educational resources, to the Shower Bus, and we can even help you get a state ID card and insurance. The gateway to getting all these services is to come through and get tested,” says Edgar.

The team creates a supportive, judgment free environment for people to learn about and gain agency over their sexual health.

“There is a taboo and stigma around the general population to walk in and get tested,” Edgar notes. “Even with the LGBT community, they want to do it but they’re scared. We give them privacy. They come in and say, ‘Can you test me? But do you need my ID?’ We never ask for ID. They just want to know their status and know that they’re safe, but they don’t want to share their information. So I think they’re looking for us because we don’t invade their privacy.”

In a world where an HIV diagnosis comes with a list of negative, and oftentimes false, connotations, the Outreach Team says the most important thing they do is stress that it is never their “fault.” “They might be victims. We make them feel secure, that they’re not alone.”

This is what the BCS Street Outreach aims to do – to connect Brooklynites to the healthcare resources they need in an environment that makes them feel safe and supported. For more information about the BCS Street Outreach program, contact mobilecare@wearebcs.org.