By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A local organization is hoping that residents of the River Parishes choose to make the right choice about HIV and AIDS prevention and education.

Choice International, located at 516 E. Airline Highway in Laplace, launched the Right Choice Project, an HIV and AIDS awareness program, in Dec. of last year.

Right Choice provides free HIV testing and prevention workshops to educate parish residents about the widespread nature of the diseases in the area and to empower people by knowing their own health status.

“It’s an epidemic in our area,” said Cameron Turner, an administrative assistant at Choice International.

The most recent data available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named Baton Rouge and New Orleans as among the highest cities in the nation for per capita rates of new HIV and AIDS cases.

Turner said that Choice International felt responsibility to help attack the spread of HIV and AIDS in the state because of LaPlace’s location inbetween Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The confidential HIV tests are available every Tuesday from noon until 3 p.m. at Choice International. The test can be administered to teenagers as young as 13 years old.

Testing is conducted by an oral swab, and results are available in 20 minutes. While awaiting results, people being tested can discuss aspects of the disease with a counselor. Counseling is also available to people after results are given.

Danis Walker, assistant director of Right Choice, said the program is aimed at reaching people between the ages of 13 and 21, but people of all ages are encouraged to get tested. Walker said that Right Choice didn’t want to rule anyone out when it came to testing and added that approximately 20 people have received the test so far.

In conjunction with testing, the Right Choice Project also plans to host several workshops each year in order to inform and educate participants about HIV risks and disease facts. Two workshops were held in 2013, and a third workshop is slated to take place in February.

Details are still being finalized, but the plan is to have the February workshop aimed at families attending together to receive information. All of the workshops are taking place in collaboration with Planned Parenthood.

Right Choice has also partnered with other nearby prevention agencies, including the NO/AIDS Taskforce out of New Orleans and the Baton Rouge AIDS Society.

For 2014, Walker said she hopes the program continues to expand and network with local organizations, as well as recruit volunteers.

“The number one goal is to receive funding in order to employ members of the community and continue to spread the word,” Walker said.