PALSS, Inc.

Founded in 1985, PALSS, Inc of South Carolina has a mission to provide education, health, and social services to persons living with & communities affected by HIV and AIDS.

PALSS supports a variety of programs to meet the various needs of individuals. 

Community Based Counseling and Testing provides Counseling, Testing, and Referral Services (CTRS) for HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Illnesses, Hepatitis B and C, COVID19. KNOW NOW provides outreach, rapid HIV testing and counseling, TB and Hepatitis referral and information at no cost to consumers.  The focus of KNOW NOW is to encourage targeted populations to engage in routine HIV testing in order to know their status. Internet Outreach seeks to reach young gay males to provide them with accurate information about HIV prevention, resources and services as well as encouragement for HIV testing.  Internet outreach makes use of chat rooms and social media. (i.e. Facebook and Twitter). HIV Navigation is available onsite and PrEP Education is available through both TelePrEP and onsite.

Care Coordination provides linkage to medical and other care services for persons living with HIV, Hepatitis or other sexually transmitted diseases. Medical care is available onsite.  Assistance with health insurance premiums, prescription co-pays and enrolment in the state AIDS Drug assistance program is available. Behavioral and Mental Health assessment and individual counselling is available including assessment for substance use.  Medical case management assists persons to gain access to and remain in medical care. Medical providers are supervised by a licensed physician.  PALSS maintains an onsite nurse practitioner and pharmacist.

HOPE (Housing Opportunities Promoting Empowerment) assists low-income clients to address their housing needs.  The HOPE program can assist with short-term rent, mortgage and utility payments to help prevent HIV positive eligible applicants from becoming or remaining homeless.  In the Columbia area, HOPE also provides vouchers through the Columbia Cares Housing Assistance Program (CCHAP) to provide long-term rent subsidies. The subset of the HOPE program is HIFA - the program focuses on helping individuals with job coaching and financial budgeting. HOPE supports an emergency Food Pantry offering access to 2-3 days of emergency food and nutritional supplements for eligible clients.  Food supplies include frozen and canned meats and vegetables, cereals, pastas and grains, snacks, condiments, liquid nutritional supplements, and other food.

Prevention Education Programs are based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved curriculums including Healthy Relationships, HIP, RISE and VOICES/VOCES.  Prevention education efforts target specific populations including people with HIV, MSM, women, youth and incarcerated populations. Additional prevention education efforts are aimed at tuberculosis, syphilis, hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Transportation services include weekly transportation to the Harvest Hope Food Bank and other destinations by pre-approved arrangement. PALSS Mobile Unit provides testing and other health related services to communities with less access to services. Bus tickets are also available for eligible clients.

Other Services include 1) emotional support through individual conversations or support groups, 2) client educational forums and 3) community education presentations and fairs.