Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) December 18, 2014
On Dec. 22, students who attend Computer Systems Institute can visit the Chicago CSI campus, located on 29 E. Madison St., to receive a free HIV/AIDS screening. The screenings will be conducted on CSI’s third floor medical lab between 1pm and 6pm. Certified testers from two divisions of Adolescent Medicine and Heroes for Change—the I Made a Choice (I-MaC) Project and Trans Network— will conducting the private screenings, which take about 20 minutes per person. The I-Mac Project strives to increase awareness of HIV and AIDS among urban communities while making testing and necessary medical care more accessible. The Trans Network’s focus is on HIV prevention and treatment within the transgendered community. In addition to conducting screenings at the Chicago CSI campus, the organizations will make counselors available to speak with students after they receive their screening. The counselors will discuss means of preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and will be prepared to provide resources on seeking medical treatment for the condition. Depending upon the screening results, counselors will be prepared to discuss prevention for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, as well as options for medical treatment.
According to a 2011 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV; furthermore, an estimated 50,000 new HIV infections occur in the U.S. each year. The CDC calculates that about 14 percent of people who currently have HIV — or more than one in eight people — are not aware that they are infected. Early detection of HIV is crucial, since it ensures that victims receive prompt medical treatment, which can improve the likelihood of a favorable prognosis; early detection can also prevent victims from unknowingly spreading the infection. By partnering with the I-Mac Project and Trans Network, CSI hopes to encourage an open attitude towards STIs and HIV, in order to raise awareness about prevention and treatment options. Offering support to those who have been infected is another important goal of these screenings.
About Computer Systems Institute
CSI offers postsecondary career programs in networking, healthcare, and business designed to be completed in as little as 32 weeks, as well as English Language and professional programs for international students. The school has five Chicago-area campuses in the Chicago Loop, Skokie, Gurnee, Elgin, and Lombard, plus two Massachusetts locations in Charlestown and Worcester. Collectively, the campuses serve students from more than 70 countries.
Founded in 1989, CSI is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) to award certificates. ACICS is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. CSI is approved by the Division of Private Business and Vocational Schools of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept the GI bill, and authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. It is also a Microsoft IT Academy and Prometric Testing Center. For more information, visit http://www.CSINow.edu.