PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FOCUSES ON VISION OF AN AIDS-FREE GENERATION ON WORLD AIDS DAY DECEMBER 1

(New Haven, Conn.) — World AIDS Day is December 1 and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England is working to achieve an AIDS-free generation in partnership with young people, communities of color, and people living with HIV.

Young people, women, people of color, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) communities remain at the center of the HIV epidemic in terms of rates of infection, vulnerability, impact and potential for positive change. As the nation’s leading women’s health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood is committed to reducing the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic by providing confidential, non-judgmental, comprehensive, high-quality reproductive health care and information to women, men and young people.

“Planned Parenthood of Southern New England is committed to fighting for the world we want. The world we want has zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination,” said Judy Tabar President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “On World AIDS Day, we join partners in the United States and around the world in fighting for the healthiest generation ever.”

While the number of newly infected persons with HIV has dropped 38 percent since 2001, there were still 2.1 million new infections worldwide last year. There are currently more than 22 million people living with HIV across the world, more than 1.1 million in America, and more than 12,500 in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Almost 1 in 6 people in the United States living with HIV are unaware of their status.

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) health centers provided more than 17,200 HIV tests last year. PPSNE health centers can also help those, who need additional care, connect with trusted, quality resources.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, PPSNE youth educators and student advocates are spreading awareness at their high schools and college campuses throughout the month of December. PPSNE Campus Action Interns, a student reproductive justice advocacy group at 11 colleges and universities in Connecticut and Rhode Island, will be handing out AIDS ribbons on their campuses to help raise awareness around HIV/AIDS. PPSNE Students Teaching About Responsible Sexuality (STARS), a peer-education high school student group, will be facilitating workshops in New Haven, Conn. around HIV/AIDS awareness and the importance of getting tested. PPSNE, in coordination with the RI HIV Prevention Coalition, will also be participating in the RI World AIDS Day event at the Rhode Island statehouse on December 1.

Planned Parenthood health centers provide a broad range of services, more than 90 percent of which are lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, prevention and treatment of STDs, sexual health education, information and health counseling. One in five women has turned to Planned Parenthood at some time in her life for professional, non-judgmental and confidential care. No one else does more than Planned Parenthood to reduce unintended pregnancies and keep women healthy.

To learn more about Planned Parenthood of Southern New England visit ppsne.org or call our Education and Training office at (203) 865-5158.

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of family planning and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 18 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to nearly 70,000 patients annually, and 90 percent of the services provided are preventive.