Legacy Community Health Spotlights National HIV Testing Day

HIV remains a serious public health challenge in Houston, affecting tens of thousands of our neighbors and touching every part of our community. Getting tested is one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect yourself and your community — yet stigma, fear, and barriers to care continue to stand in the way for many. As Legacy Community Health marks National HIV Testing Day on June 27, we’re reaffirming our commitment to making HIV testing accessible, confidential, and rooted in dignity and support. At Legacy, getting tested is easy to do.

For over 40 years, Legacy Community Health has been leading Houston’s fight against HIV/AIDS. Our roots were planted right at the onset of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, when we started as the Montrose Clinic and pioneered HIV testing and care in Texas in 1982 with the Program for AIDS Counseling & Evaluation (PACE). From day one, we made sure people could get help without worrying about privacy or being judged.

Where We Stand Today

The HIV epidemic remains a very real public health challenge in our community. According to data from AIDSVu, there are nearly 28,600 people living with HIV in Houston. As Dr. Natalie Vanek, Clinic Medical Director of Legacy Montrose, notes, “between 7-10 Texans are diagnosed with HIV every day.”

We’re also seeing a troubling trend in Houston that mirrors the national picture. HIV disproportionately affects the Black community. While Black Houstonians make up only 23% of Houston’s population, this community represents nearly 50% of all new and existing HIV infections. Additionally, Dr. Vanek points out that “the two fastest growing populations with HIV are women and young people between the ages of 15-24.”

Reasons for Hope

While these statistics remind us that our work is far from over, there’s also good news. Almost 60% of people with HIV in Houston have achieved undetectable status, which means their treatment has reduced the virus to levels so low that it can’t be detected or transmitted. Of the approximately 28,000 patients living with HIV in the Houston area, Legacy Community Health proudly serves about 7,000.

As wonderful as this progress is, we can still do better. That’s why Legacy Community Health offers several HIV-related services, including our Rapid Start Program, which helps newly diagnosed patients begin treatment immediately, helping them reach undetectable status faster.

A Tradition of Remembrance and Community

For many in our community, testing is the first step — but it’s not the end of the journey. Legacy’s commitment to HIV care extends beyond individual moments of awareness to lifelong support, remembrance, and collective responsibility.

While National HIV Testing Day focuses on taking action today, Legacy’s work in HIV prevention and care is grounded in decades of remembrance, advocacy, and community leadership. On December 1, 2025 we took time to remember, reflect, and recommit to the fight against HIV/AIDS, marking the occasion with a powerful evening at the historic DeLuxe Theater.

The event brought together community members, advocates, and public officials, and included opening remarks from Legacy Community Health CEO Robert Palussek, Houston Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Tran, and Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum.

Guided by the theme “Transforming the HIV/AIDS Response: Rethink. Rebuild. Rise,” Host Ernie Manouse led a program that featured powerful performances by PreechKid and singer Rechatter Bird Brady, a panel discussion moderated by Richon Ohafia with community leaders, and the presentation of the L. Joel Martinez Memorial Award to Ian L. Haddock, Executive Director of The Normal Anomaly Initiative. The evening closed with a moving candlelight vigil to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS.

Over the years, Legacy Community Health has honored World AIDS Day in various ways, from vigils at our Montrose clinic and city-wide collaborations to events featuring free testing and virtual formats. Each year, we find new ways to bring our community together to remember those we’ve lost and mark the progress we’ve made.

Breaking Down Barriers

Fear of stigma and discrimination still keeps people from getting tested, seeking treatment, and living their healthiest lives. That’s why Legacy Community Health’s approach has always been rooted in compassionate, stigma-free care.

“People may not know that they know someone with HIV, but most likely, everybody does,” says Dr. Vanek. When people living with HIV are supported and treated with dignity, they’re more likely to seek regular care, stick to their treatment plans, and contribute fully to their communities.

Our trained staff, including Health Navigation Specialists led by Health Navigation Director Jill Jahns, provides informed, non-judgmental care. The whole point is making sure people feel safe and respected.

This National HIV Testing Day, Know Your Status

Legacy Community Health offers free, fast, and confidential HIV and STD testing at convenient locations across Greater Houston, with walk-in options available.

Know your status. Get tested. Get PrEP. Get treatment. End HIV.

For more information about Legacy Community Health’s HIV services or to schedule a test, call (832) 548-5221 or visit us online at LegacyHIV.org.

Sources: Legacy Community Health World AIDS Day coverage (2017-2024), AIDSVu Houston data, and Legacy Community Health service information