The Optimus Health Care offers comprehensive health and social services in the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS in the community. We provide the following services in relation to HIV/AIDS:
Community Outreach and Education
Our community outreach and education services is dedicated to spreading information about HIV/AIDS to encourage people to get tested, practice preventive behaviors and lessen social stigma on people living with HIV/AIDS. Specific activities provided include:
- Street Outreach
- Community-based education seminar/workshop
- Targeted community-based events such as health fairs, youth dance/sports event.
For more information you can contact our Outreach Workers:
Jose Aquino
Community Outreach Worker
(203) 696 3260 ext 3423 |
Erica Roman
Case Manager/Outreach Worker
(203) 696 3260 ext 3423 |
We provide prevention counseling and testing at multiple locations in Bridgeport and Stratford. We accept walk-in clients for prevention counseling and/or testing at specified time at each location, please call to confirm time and to lessen your waiting time.
We provide anonymous and confidential testing. Anonymous testing means your name will not be recorded in the test procedure. Confidential testing means your name will be associated with the test record but will only be known to you, the tester and whoever you choose to share the information. You can talk to our staff to help you guide through these options.
We also offer Rapid HIV Testing and standard veni-puncture test. Rapid HIV Testing, done with finger stick, will give you a result as quick as 20 minutes. A positive HIV test using rapid testing, however, requires confirmatory test using standard veni-puncture test. Standard veni-puncture test will require collection of blood specimen and results will be available in 1 – 2 weeks. Optimus Health Care, Inc. is also offering HIV Testing as part of your routine medical visits.
For more information, contact:
Raphael Muniz
Prevention Services Coordinator
982 E. Main Street
Bridgeport, CT
(203) 696 3260 ext 3435 |
Willy Quesada
Counselor and Tester
471 Barnum Avenue
Bridgeport, CT
(203) 333 6864 ext 3525 |
Prevention Counseling and Testing Services are available at these locations on the following days and time:
Location |
Days |
Hours |
982 E. Main Street
Bridgeport, CT |
M - F |
8 AM – 4 PM |
471 Barnum Avenue
Bridgeport, CT |
M – F
T |
8 AM – 4 PM
8 AM – 7 PM |
Park City Primary Care Center
65 Black Rock Avenue
Bridgeport, CT |
Thu |
8 AM – 4 PM (Hilda) |
Raphola Taylor
Community Health Center
790 Central Avenue
Bridgeport, CT |
Fri |
8 – 11:30 AM (call first) |
Stratford Community Health Center
727 Honeyspot Road
Stratford, CT |
Thu |
3 – 7 PM |
Stamford Community Health Center
137 Henry Street
Stamford, CT |
Thu |
10 – 11 AM
Tests conducted by Stamford Health Department at our site |
| Prevention Case Management for High-Risk Individual |
Back to Top |
High-risk individuals with multiple health and social service concerns are referred to prevention case management. Prevention case management for high-risk individuals is intensive prevention education; counseling and case management services provided to assist individuals minimize their risk in contracting HIV. This is provided in partnership with the City of Bridgeport Health Department.
High-risk individuals include those with past or current histories of any of the following:
- intravenous drug use
- multiple sex partners
- men having sex with men
- incarceration
- sexually transmitted diseases
- blood/blood product transfusion
- substance abuse
Specific services include:
- Counseling and Testing
- Risk Reduction Planning
- Coordination and referral to other needed services such as substance abuse intervention
This service is available at the following locations and day/time:
Location |
Day |
Time |
982 East Main Street
Bridgeport, CT |
M
T
F |
8 AM – 4 PM
1 – 4 PM
8 AM – 1 PM |
Park City Primary Care Center
65 Black Rock Avenue
Bridgeport, CT |
Thu |
8 AM – 4 PM |
Referral is required to avail this service.
For information, contact:
Hilda Perez, Prevention Case Manager
(203) 696 3260 ext 3436
Optimus Health Care is a Ryan White CARE Act Title III recipient. This federal funding allows us to provide comprehensive outpatient medical and social services to people with HIV/AIDS. HIV (+) patient is referred to the program by their primary care provider.
Services include:
- Medical Services
- Case Management
- Anti-Retroviral Therapy
- Follow-up
- Specialty Care
- Primary Behavioral/Mental Health Care
Optimus Health Care is a member of the Ryan White CARE consortium in Bridgeport. This facilitates coordination of care and services to persons with HIV/AIDS.
The Outpatient Early Intervention Services are available at all sites. For more information, contact:
Jose Latorre, Ryan White Program Manager
(203) 696 3260 ext 3430
People living with HIV/AIDS often deal with multiple issues and concerns. This includes navigating through local health and social service infrastructure. Our case management service provides assistance and support to ensure that patients are connected to appropriate program and services in a timely manner.
We have a team of experienced and caring case managers who will work with persons with HIV and their family to ensure that they have long quality of life. This team is composed:
- Johanna Cruz
- Lucy Santiago
- Father Gregory O’Keefe
- Erica Roman
- Milady Nevarez
- Luz Pagan (Social Worker)
- Lina Garcia
They can be contacted at (203) 696 3260.
Optimus Health Care hosts and facilitates meeting of a local transgender support group at our East Main Street location in Bridgeport. The meeting is held every Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:30 PM.
The transgender support group meeting provides a neutral, non-threatening environment for discussion of group member’s experiences and concerns focusing on helping each other deal with HIV/AIDS, either living with it or prevention.
For more information about the transgender support group, contact:
Carlos Barbier
(203) 696 – 3260 ext 3425
