SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded Horizons Community Services of Chicago a three-year contract to operate the toll-free Illinois AIDS/HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) hotline, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, announced today.

Horizons, which answered the Department's hotline calls from 1988 to 1995, will replace Test Positive Aware Network Inc. (TPA) of Chicago beginning March 1 and be paid $230,500 a year. TPA has answered calls to the hotline (1-800-243-2437) for the past five years. The Department considered proposals from TPA and Horizons.

"Horizons has an impressive 27-year history of providing information to the public about HIV and AIDS and we again look forward to working with its trained professionals and dedicated volunteers," Dr. Lumpkin said. "We believe the hotline will continue to be a valuable resource to the citizens of Illinois and offer callers information about HIV, AIDS and STDs, prevention and risk reduction, and counseling and testing; and provide referrals to other needed services."

Three contractors have operated the Illinois hotline in its 15-year history. Howard Brown Memorial Clinic of Chicago answered calls from 1985 to 1988, followed by Horizons and then, in 1995, TPA took over calls.

The hotline, which receives nearly 20,000 calls a year, is in operation 12 hours each weekday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The hotline also offers services to those who speak Spanish and to the hearing impaired (1-800-782-0423).