The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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START program provides health services to students

Cynthia Riggall, START recruiter, provides students with information about the program infront of the Klotz center. START offers students at CSUN free HIV testing. Photo Credit: Manny D. Araujo/The Sundial
Cynthia Riggall, START recruiter, provides students with information about the program infront of the Klotz center. START offers students at CSUN free HIV testing. Photo Credit: Manny D. Araujo/The Sundial

 

With funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration a new program at the Klotz center will perform, rapid HIV testing that can have the results of the test in 20 minutes.

By comparison, the standard HIV test can take between one to three weeks to return results.

The three-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration allows the Services for Telehealth and Rapid Testing (START) program to focus on reducing the risk for HIV and educating students on the increased risk of HIV transmission when substance and alcohol abuse are factors.

“The main focus that we want for CSUN is to increase awareness about knowing your status for HIV so we can reduce the risk for transmission,” said Bethany Rainisch, a professor of health and human development and director of the program. “And, at the same time, being a responsible student and drinking alcohol responsibly can really help to reduce the risk for risky sexual behavior and reduce the risk for drunk driving.”

Rainisch says that nationally young adults and Latinos are at high risk for HIV.

“Since CSUN has young adults, and we have a high population of Latino students, it is a very central location for us,” she said.

Another goal of the program, Rainisch said, is to make students become more familiar and comfortable with the practice.

“What we are trying to do here with the culture on campus is to change the culture so people feel a little more comfortable either communicating about their status or going in to get tested just to know their status,” Rainisch said. “We are trying to make [knowing your status] something of a standard. Similar to when you go to get a flu shot or just to get a check up at the doctors.”

Keeping with the idea of education Sharon Aronoff, Klotz center health educator, said that along with providing HIV testing the program also focuses on Telehealth which is a means of providing health-related information and counseling over telecommunications.

“Students should know the program is meant to focus on HIV and substance use and Telehealth,” Aronoff said. “The substance use component is part of Telehealth and were students can interact over telecommunication with a substance counselor.”

Rainisch and Aronoff both said that students could call or message a counselor through their devices and can discuss substance and alcohol use. From that point, the counselor could recommend they come in if it is felt their activity has put them at a risk for HIV or provide information to the student on how to stay safe while they are using.

The START program works jointly with the Tarzana Treatment center and has students from CSUN, who help run the program.

Edith Gomez, marketing major, got involved in with START as the marketing coordinator last year when the program first received the funding and was planning its release.

She helped promote HIV testing awareness and says one of her goals is to connect with other organizations on campus so that they can help improve the culture of HIV testing and make it more of a norm.

“What we want to partner up with health related organizations,” Gomez said. “Hopefully along the way we can have a big event where not only our services are exposed but all the other clubs and organizations are actually brought in front of the CSUN students so they can see that the services are available.”

Grant funding for the program will end in two years so by then Rainisch, and Gomez say they are seeking to renew funding so they can continue providing this service to students.

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