Washington, DC has among the highest rate of infection of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in the United States. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 25 percent of Americans who are HIV positive are unaware that they are infected. To address this epidemic, the District of Columbia will launch a citywide campaign urging every resident between the ages of 14 and 84 to be screened for HIV.

The goal of this campaign is to make HIV testing a routine part of any medical exam.

The DC Health Department will encourage health facilities to offer free HIV testing by distributing 80,000 free tests to hospital emergency rooms, private physicians' offices, community health programs, detoxification centers, and substance abuse and STD clinics.

If you don’t have a regular doctor or want to find a place that you can be tested anonymously, here are some clinics in the Washington, DC area that provide HIV tests.

Free or Inexpensive HIV Testing Locations (Free or less than $10)

The following clinics offer a guarantee of privacy, late afternoon/weekend hours, an explanation of the HIV test and its results, and advice on how to stay healthy.

Clinics In DC

Planned Parenthood
1108 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC (202) 347-8512
3937A Minnesota Ave., NE, Washington, DC (202) 388-4770

Whitman Walker Clinic, Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center
1701 14th St., NW,Washington, DC. (202)745-7000

Max Robinson Center of Whitman-Walker Clinic
2301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, Washington, DC (202) 678-8877

The Women's Collective
1436 U Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC (202) 483-7003

Unity Healthcare
850 Delaware Ave., SE, Washington, DC (202) 548-4520

Clinics In Virginia

Teen Wellness Center
3330 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 (703)746-4776

Alexandria Health Department
4480 King Street, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA (703) 746-4976

Arlington Health Department
800 South Walter Reed Drive, Arlington, VA - (703) 228-5175

Planned Parenthood
370 South Washington Street, Suite 300, Falls Church, VA - (703) 533-5651

Clinics In Maryland

Planned Parenthood
1400 Spring Street, Suite 450, Silver Spring, MD 301) 608-3448
19650 Clubhouse Road, Suite 104, Gaithersburg, MD (301) 208-1300
Healthy Teens & Young Adults Clinic
7824 Central Avenue. Landover, MD (301) 324-5144

Cheverly Health Center
3003 Hospital Drive, Room 1023, Cheverly, MD 301-583-3700

D. Leonard Dyer Regional Health Center
9314 Piscataway Road, Room 175, Clinton, MD (301) 817-3130

University of Maryland Health Center
College Park, MD (301) 314-8180

For more information about HIV, AIDS and HIV Testing, see http://aids.D106