AKeem Rollins, MPH, doesn’t really “clock out.” As a PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Navigator at MetroHealth, he spends his days — alongside two other PrEP Navigators — helping people get the sexual healthcare they need.
This includes ensuring patients have accurate information, breaking down barriers to care and providing education to clinicians and community organizations.
More than 50% of HIV diagnoses now occur in 48 counties in the United States. Cuyahoga County, home to Cleveland, is one of them. According to 2023 data from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, there were 145 new diagnoses of HIV, accounting for a rate of 11.8 cases per 100,000 people.
That means the type of community integration Rollins leads is crucial to helping people stay informed and access the correct care, quickly.
PrEP: Not Just For Gay Men
While many men in the queer community take PrEP — or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a medication used to protect someone from becoming HIV positive — it’s important to recognize that PrEP isn’t just for men who have sex with other men.
“Anyone who is sexually active and not in an exclusive monogamous relationship should take PrEP,” says Rollins. “And, if you’re an intravenous drug user or share any sort of piercing equipment, tattoo needles or syringes for hormone treatment, insulin, or other drugs, PrEP can protect you.”
PrEP comes in two forms:
- Daily pill: There are two prescription pills on the market that prevent HIV: Truvada and Descovy. Each are taken once daily.
- Injections: Apretude is a bimonthly shot, and Yeztugo is a twice-yearly shot.
Both forms of medication reduce your chance of getting HIV by 99% or more, and any provider who writes prescriptions — including nurse practitioners and primary care clinicians — can prescribe PrEP. You can schedule an appointment at MetroHealth’s Center of Excellence in HIV Care by calling 216-778-8305.
Beyond preventing HIV, Rollins sees other benefits of taking PrEP.
“Taking PrEP also means you’re getting screened for a range of sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, every three months,” says Rollins. “That helps people regularly engage with healthcare and see providers as people who are there to help them and answer questions.”
Be aware that PrEP prevents HIV, not other STIs like gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis.
PEP: Emergency Intervention
If you’ve had sexual contact with someone who has HIV or does not know their HIV status — or another possible exposure to HIV like sharing a needle — it’s important to act right away.
And that action is taking PEP, or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. It’s a 28-day medication regimen that prevents HIV after exposures.
“Think of PEP as the morning-after pill for HIV,” says Rollins.
The problem is that PEP is not well-understood by some clinicians and can be difficult to access, especially quickly. PEP is most effective within 24 hours of exposure and must be taken within 72 hours of exposure to be effective. A complete regimen of PEP includes three medications.
If you have had a potential HIV exposure or condomless sex with someone who does not know their HIV status, act quickly. You can:
- Visit an Express Care. MetroHealth has five locations across Cuyahoga County.
- Call MetroHealth’s Center of Excellence in HIV Care, specifically for emergency sexual healthcare, at 216-778-8305.
- Text AKeem Rollins, a MetroHealth PrEP Navigator, at 216-714-2223.
While the last option may seem invasive, Rollins truly wants to be seen as a first line of defense against HIV transmission in the region. He and his colleagues have the connections to get people help fast, and are often sought out by providers, sexual assault clinics and patients alike.
“When I get a referral, we act quickly,” says Rollins. “We have providers on call, even in regions where access to PEP is poor.”
If you live outside of Cuyahoga County in Ohio, call the Ohio HIV Hotline at 800-332-2437 or visit ohiv.org.
If you are concerned you’ve been exposed to gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis, DoxyPEP is a similar emergency treatment to PEP, and you should follow the same steps to get treated as you would with PEP.
MetroHealth: Breaking Barriers
Another key point to keep in mind, Rollins says, is that MetroHealth is here to help people access PrEP, PEP, STI testing and other forms of sexual healthcare.
“Our job is to take a mallet and run across the healthcare road, smashing every barrier we see,” says Rollins.
That might mean providing information to help people engage with healthcare, or dispelling rumors to clarify the care they need. Other resources include:
- Financial: While Medicaid and most private health insurance plans cover PrEP—including medication, appointments and lab tests—not every person has access to those resources. PrEP Navigators can help you access financial assistance. PEP is also free under a federal mandate in cases of sexual assault.
- Transportation: Whether it’s getting to or from an appointment or pharmacy, MetroHealth has transportation resources to assist you.
- Care Coordination: PrEP Navigators can help you make the appointments you need to stay healthy. 🔥
PrEP, PEP and HIV Resources
- MetroHealth Express Care offers same-day STI testing.
- MetroHealth PrEP navigators can connect you to appointments and care, including PrEP-specific clinics. Call 216-957-PREP.
- Project DAWN is a Ohio Department of Health program focused on opioids, but they offer free syringe exchange programs.
- OHIV.org has a live chat and HIV hotline, and can connect you to free and low-cost sexual health resources.
About The MetroHealth Pride Network
The MetroHealth Pride Network offers primary and mental healthcare for adults and children and gender-affirming care for adults. While people in the LGBTQ+ community have similar routine healthcare needs as cisgender or heterosexual people, providers in the MetroHealth Pride Network have specialized training and experience related to sexuality and gender. Learn more at www.metrohealth.org/pride.
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