The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) HIV/AIDS Department is partially funded by the Texas Department of Health. The HCSO recognizes the impact that providing health care and HIV prevention has on the community at large.

GOALS: The primary goals are to reduce the rate of HIV infection in the inmate population and to offer early medical services to those infected with the virus.

The Department provides the following services:

1. Prevention Counseling and Partner Elicitation (PCPE). Inmates who voluntarily request to participate or those who are referred to the HIV Department are counseled and tested for the HIV virus. All testing is voluntary and all HIV positive inmates are referred to Early Medical Intervention services.
   
   
2. Early Intervention Services. Two Care Coordinators review and meet with HIV positive inmates to qualify them for the Texas Medication Program and link them to available community services. Arrangement is made for community agencies to visit and interview inmates before release to facilitate linkage with case management, social and medical services.
   
   
3. Prevention Counseling Management (PCM). Intensive counseling sessions are offered to those inmates who qualify because of high risk for HIV infection and have difficulty in initiating or sustaining practices that reduce or prevent HIV transmission and acquisition.

For additional information in regards to the program, call 713-755-7315.