The Shelby County Ryan White Program, which provides free primary medical and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in Shelby and surrounding counties, has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the program in the Memphis area and to promote treatment.

The “Know Now. Live Longer.” campaign is part of the Ryan White Minority AIDS Initiative in response to the disproportionate impact of HIV/AID on the area’s African-American population. Of the 6,673 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Memphis area, 78.7 percent are African-American.

“The goal of the campaign is twofold,” said Lisa Krull, Ryan White Program contracts coordinator. “First, we want to educate the community about the services offered by the Ryan White Program. Second, we want to raise awareness that treatment for HIV/AIDS is available and make it possible for those living with the disease to live long, healthy, productive lives.”

The campaign will include billboards, public service announcements, posters, bus ads, postcards, informational wallet cards, social and online media, and fliers to help get the word out about the program, a federally funded initiative that provides free primary medical and support services to more than 500,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. The services are intended to reduce the use of more costly inpatient care and increase access to care for underserved populations. In addition, the campaign promotes an HIV care hotline (877) HIV-KNOW).

Memphis-area residents are eligible for Ryan White Program services if they reside in one of the following counties in Arkansas, Mississippi or Tennessee: Crittenden, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, Tunica, Shelby, Fayette and Tipton

Eligible persons must be underinsured or lack health insurance, must have proof they are HIV-positive, and must have an income at or below the 300 percent of federal poverty level.

Learn more about the Ryan White Program by visiting www.hiv ­memphis.org or by calling (877) HIV-KNOW [(877) 448-5669]. This project is funded as a result of grant awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and Shelby County Government.