HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch

Partner Services

Partner Services is free and confidential service that provides a safe way for HIV positive people to tell their sexual or needle-sharing partners that they may have been exposed to HIV. Partner Services can help with partner notification for those who are newly diagnosed or have been living with HIV for any length of time. 

Health Advisors are highly trained, public health professionals who help people understand their options for notifying their partners. They can help anyone who is HIV positive to choose the best disclosure assistance option for each situation. Options include:

  • Self-Disclosure - the Health Advisor helps you build skills to personally notify a partner.
  • Dual-Disclosure - the Health Advisor will accompany you and assist in notifying your partner.
  • Anonymous Third-Party Notification - the Health Advisor will notify your partner for you. This notification is done anonymously, where a partner is advised that he or she may have been exposed to HIV, without identifying by whom. The identity of the HIV positive individual who made the request is never shared.

Once a partner has been told of their exposure to HIV, the Health Advisor provides resources and information to address questions and can even provide HIV testing. Health Advisors understand that talking about HIV is not easy; they walk each person through the process at a pace that is comfortable without any judgment and confidentiality is always protected throughout the process.   This means that they will never reveal any information to any of the people who are notified.

Partner Services is a free, voluntary and confidential service that values the needs of the individual, and is an important part of preventing new HIV infections.

For more information, phone 619-692-8501 or send us an email.

Last updated April 17, 2024.