From the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, May 17, 2017: Free, quick and confidential HIV and sexually transmitted infections tests are offered from 3 to 5 p.m. every Wednesday at the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers office in Cambridge, 1046 Cambridge St., East Cambridge.

Cambridge clients looking to find out their HIV/STI status can visit with no need for a scheduled appointment and meet with a community health worker who has been trained and certified to provide the service in a safe and confidential setting. Accommodations can also be arranged by contacting the organization for group testing and on-site testing. Besides the tests, clients will be offered a personalized risk reduction plan, access and linkage for their health care needs, case management and referrals, and assistance if living with HIV and AIDS, an STI or Hepatitis.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this important community service to the population in Cambridge and surrounding areas,” said Milena Mello, the organization’s director of HIV/STI services. “It’s crucial that people know that a positive diagnosis is no longer a death sentence, and that finding out their status and taking steps to prevent infection will keep their families and loved ones safe, as well as the community in general.”

With the expansion, the health and social services organization now offers the free tests out of all its six offices, including Brighton, Dorchester, Framingham and Lowell. The tests are available from 4 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday in Somerville, 92 Union Square.

The program is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, state Department of Public Health and the Boston Public Health Commission. More information is available at maps-inc.org or by calling (617) 864-7600.