Where to Get Tested and Treatment in West Texas for HIV / STDs

On Tuesday, Charlie Sheen admitted on The Today Show that he is HIV positive, saying he received the diagnosis four years ago.

In an interview with Matt Lauer, Sheen said,  "I have a responsibility now to better myself and help a lot of other people."

While we hope the reports that Charlie may have knowingly had unprotected sex following the diagnosis without informing his partners are untrue (reports he denied in his Today Show interview), Sheen's announcement of his diagnosis is a good time to remind everyone that they should get tested for STDs regularly.

According to health officials, anyone sexually active should get tested annually for STDs, even if they feel fine. It's also a good idea to get tested whenever you start a new relationship and ask your partner to do the same, especially if you ever plan on raw-dogging it (although you should use condoms).

There are hundreds of agencies in Texas that provide HIV/AIDS and STD services like testing, medical care and treatment. Here's some from the state Department of Health Services in West Texas:

Abilene

Big Country AIDS Resources, Abilene
402 Butternut, Abilene, Texas
325-672-3077

El Paso

La Fe CARE Center
1505 Mescalero, El Paso, Texas
915-772-3366

SPCAA Project CHAMPS El Paso
1201 East Schuster, Building 1A, El Paso, Texas
915-533-3393

Midland/Odessa

Basin Assistance Services (BAS)
1330 East 8th Street, Odessa, Texas
432-580-0713 or toll-free: 800-804-5418

San Angelo

San Angelo Health Department
2030 Pulliam Street, Suite 8, San Angelo, Texas 76905
325-657-4214

Shannon Supportive Health Services
210 East Harris, San Angelo, Texas 76903
325-481-8905

HIV infects 36.9 million people around the world, according to the United Nations AIDS agency UNAIDS. Two million people are infected every year and more than a million die of AIDS. In the United States, more than 1.2 million people have HIV, and about 50,000 people are newly infected each year. For more information about HIV/AIDS, visit the CDD online.