Overcoming Disruption and Transforming HIV Care in North Texas

This December 1st, Health Services of North Texas (HSNT) is proud to join health organizations around the world in recognizing World AIDS Day. Every year on this day, communities come together to honor those we have lost and support those still living with HIV/AIDS. It’s a time to renew our commitment to ending stigma, providing accessible HIV/AIDS care, and fostering hope for a future free from HIV/AIDS. The 2025 World AIDS Day theme is “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”

HIV/AIDS Care is HSNT History

Formerly known as AIDS Services of North Texas, HSNT is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with HIV/AIDS through medical care, support services, and advocacy. Our organization was first established in 1988 by volunteers providing emotional support for severely ill individuals with HIV/AIDS. In 1997, we began providing primary medical care to uninsured HIV+ patients. HSNT has provided primary healthcare to the general population since 2010, but HIV/AIDS services remain an organizational passion and specialty. We provide an array of services for our patients living with HIV/AIDS, including primary medical and integrated behavioral healthcare, care management, housing assistance, insurance assistance, prescription assistance, and transportation to medical and social service appointments.

Comprehensive HIV Care and Behavioral Health at HSNT

In the year 2024, HSNT served over 670 patients with HIV/AIDS who are considered low-to-moderate income and are either uninsured or underinsured, and we are on track to serve even more of these patients in 2025. HSNT serves patients who live in rural and outer-suburban communities in Denton, Collin, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall Counties, and we are the principal resource for HIV-specific healthcare and support services in our service area. 

Our programs aim to improve health outcomes for those living with HIV in our community, with a special focus on mental and behavioral health. In 2024, we provided 339 HIV/AIDS patients with care through our Integrated Behavioral Health program. The program addresses patients’ behavioral health needs through counseling, tele-psychiatry, and treatment for issues such as depression or anxiety provided during a medical visit. Through HSNT’s Integrated Behavioral Health program, HIV+ individuals can improve their self-image and manage emotional and psychosocial challenges, so they are well-equipped to stay adherent to their medications and reach their very best health.

HSNT is Helping End the HIV Epidemic 

HSNT actively supports the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) campaign via our partnership with the City of Dallas and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Through community outreach and education, we work to raise awareness about HIV, its transmission, and the importance of regular testing. A central aspect of this effort is the provision of free HIV screenings every Friday, enabling early detection and reducing barriers to care for uninsured and underinsured individuals. In the month of October 2025 alone, HSNT provided 52 free HIV screenings for members of the North Texas community. In addition, the percentage of our HIV patients who are virally suppressed, meaning they closely follow their treatment routines and are therefore not actively shedding the virus, has remained at 90% for three consecutive months since August 2025. 

HSNT also provides information on HIV prevention and treatment via our EHE website, https://endingthehivepidemicntx.org/. This site serves as an accurate, trustworthy resource for anyone who has questions about HIV, how it is transmitted, or how it is treated. In addition to the website, HSNT creates and shares engaging content related to the EHE campaign on our TikTok, Instagram, and other social media. 

Reaffirming our Dedication to North Texas Patients Living With HIV/AIDS

This World AIDS Day, HSNT seeks to answer the question-- what does “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response” mean to HSNT?

The answer is a strong, resilient healthcare system based on the Community Health Center model, and a healthcare provider team that is full of compassion for our community. 

“The 2025 World AIDS Day theme, ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’ reminds us that many people living with or affected by HIV face disruptions every day…whether it’s trouble accessing care, financial stress, or the weight of stigma. 

At HSNT, this theme speaks to our commitment to show up for our community no matter what,” says one of HSNT’s infectious disease care providers, Laurie Mottl, PA-C. “World AIDS Day matters because it brings attention to the people behind the statistics, our patients, our neighbors, our loved ones. It’s a chance to honor their strength, remind them they’re not alone, and recommit to making HIV prevention and treatment accessible for everyone.”

Click here to read the inspiring story of Claudia, an HSNT patient living with HIV/AIDS.