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Regional Services
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AIDS Counselling Station and Helpline
03/07/2002
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This service is based in the A. SYNGROS Hospital and is staffed by professionals of the mental health sector with special training on AIDS issues. These services are available to persons with questions and/or concerns about the HIV virus.
AIDS HELPLINE
Tel. 210.72.22.222
Monday to Friday
7:00 a.m. - 23:00 p.m.
AIDS COUNSELLING STATION
Tel. 210.72.39.945
Appointments: Monday to Friday
9:00 a.m. - 15:00 p.m.
The main subject area of this service is specialised psycosocial intervention and, more in particular, timely and effective prevention as well as proper coping with the various psychological and social needs of seropositive persons and AIDS patients, of the persons in their environment and of the public in general.
The main areas of activity of this service are the following:
Provision of information and prevention counselling, psychological support, social services and psychiatric evaluation and monitoring (where judged necessary) for seropositive persons or AIDS patients and for their partners or relatives, as well as for persons who concerned about AIDS-related issues, who wish to take the diagnostic test or are waiting for the test results.
Education through implementation of a variety of information, educational and scientific activities and cooperations, aimed at the wider sensitisation and information of the public regarding AIDS-related issues (with particular emphasis on school pupils and on students), the training of (mental) health professionals, the promotion of cooperation networks with other services and the continuous training of the personnel of the two above services.
Systematic recording and further evaluation of the psychosocial needs of the population regarding AIDS-related issues, aimed at the systematisation of the clinical picture for the population contacting the Helpline and the Counselling Station, on the one hand, and at the broadening and promotion of more effective ways for covering the needs of these people.
PROVISION OF INFORMATION to the public concerning infection with the HIV virus: Transmission - Prevention - Examination of HIV antibodies - Medical, social, welfare issues.
PRE-DIAGNOSTIC TEST COUNCELLING for persons interested in taking the HIV antibodies test, with the purpose to inform them about the ways in which the HIV virus is transmitted and about the diagnostic test and to allow them to discuss their fears and concerns regarding the test and the methods for effective prevention.
POST-DIAGNOSTIC TEST COUNCELLING for persons infected with the HIV virus, with the purpose to inform them about the relevant medical and psychosocial issues, to allow them to discuss their fears and concerns and to develop effective strategies for coping with their condition.
PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT for persons living with the HIV virus and for the persons in their environment, through the provision of: support on issues of interpersonal relations in the family, social and working environment and on the difficulties in daily life; assistance in carrying out welfare modalities.
PSYCHIATRIC INTERVENTION for persons infected with the HIV virus, through the provision of: psychiatric monitoring and neurological evaluation; referral to the competent psychiatric services.
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