Free HIV testing.

HART — One in eight people with HIV doesn’t know they have it. District Health Department #10 encourages residents to get tested.

The health department is providing free HIV testing beginning now through September 30, 2016. Testing is available during walk-in clinics or by appointment. To find a walk-in clinic, visit www.dhd10.org. To schedule an appointment, call (888) 217-3904.

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and that number grows by almost 50,000 every year.

Testing and counseling empowers people with HIV to take steps to protect their own health and that of others, and helps people who test negative to lower their risk of getting HIV in the future. More information on HIV can be found at www.michigan.gov/hivstd or www.cdc.gov/hiv.

The mission of District Health Department #10 is to promote and enhance the health of our communities and environment through protection, prevention, and intervention. The department serves Crawford, Lake, Mason, Missaukee, Oceana, Kalkaska, Manistee, Mecosta, Newaygo, and Wexford counties.