HIV Testing in Nonclinical Settings is CDC's latest HIV testing training for nonclinical settings. This training reflects scientific advances and evidence-informed updates as expressed in CDC's guidance: Implementing HIV Testing in Nonclinical Settings: A Guide For HIV Testing Providers (2016). Key influences on this curriculum have been shifts in HIV prevention, care, and treatment that have occurred since the Fundamentals of HIV Prevention Counseling training, and the policies that followed. This training has a streamlined Six-Step Protocol with greater emphasis on serostatus specific referrals and active linkage. A person's current circumstances are explored, with less extensive pre- and post-test counseling.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Utilize communication techniques to successfully build rapport with client
• Explain the “window period” and communicate re-testing messages
• Deliver the HIV rapid testing Six-Step Protocol to individuals in nonclinical settings
• Improve ability to link clients who are living with, or at high risk for HIV, into care and prevention services

Target Audience

This course is intended for people who wish to learn about HIV testing or who plan to provide HIV testing in nonclinical settings. Program Managers may also benefit from receiving this training since they will be overseeing HIV testers and monitoring programs. Participants who will be attending this training course should have a basic understanding of HIV transmission and individual HIV testing, including the rapid HIV testing protocol. Participants should have read the CDC's Implementing HIV Testing in Nonclinical Settings: A Guide for HIV Testing Providers (2016) prior to attending the training. Participants who are most likely to succeed during the training and as HIV testing providers should be able to demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the Six-Step Protocol, have good interpersonal skills and client management skills, and understand how to motivate clients to access follow-up services.

This training does not teach participants how to collect blood or oral samples, nor does it teach participants how to conduct any specific point of care test.

Following the training, encourage participants to practice their testing skills in real-life settings under the supervision of an experienced tester. Ideally, this practice would continue until participants have provided at least one of each type of test result (negative and positive), although this may not be possible in all HIV testing sites because of low seropositivity rates or scheduling conflicts.