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How do I find a case manager for HIV care?

Answered in plain language, anchored to CDC, HIV.gov, and NIH.

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Educational resource — General information for learning and support. Check the linked sources and organizations for current policies, services, and eligibility when relevant.
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Ask a Ryan White provider, your state HIV program, the site that tested you, or a local HIV service organization for a case-management intake or referral. Availability, eligibility and assignment procedures vary; enrollment does not automatically assign a case manager at every clinic. Bring available diagnosis, income, residency and insurance documents, and ask the intake team for help if something is missing.[1][11][12]

What a case manager actually does

A case manager is the person who makes the system make sense: appointments, medications, insurance, benefits paperwork, housing, food, transportation, referrals. HRSA says that at intake a case manager helps you understand what services you can get, apply for health care coverage, and find out whether you must pay any costs yourself[1].

In HRSA's formal definition, Medical Case Management, including Treatment Adherence Services, is “the provision of a range of client-centered activities focused on improving health outcomes in support of the HIV care continuum.” It may be delivered by an interdisciplinary team and includes every encounter type — face-to-face, phone, and other. Its named activities[2]:

Medical case management can include benefits counseling for Medicaid, Medicare Part D, pharmacy-assistance programs and insurance coverage. HRSA’s current service definitions call for care-plan re-evaluation at least every six months, with changes as needed. Tell your case manager sooner if your health, medication access, housing or support needs change.[2]

How to request case management

  1. Contact a Ryan White provider. Ask whether it offers medical or non-medical case management, whether you qualify, and how intake or referral works. The federal locator lists medical providers; not every listed site supplies every support service.[1]
  2. Call your state HIV program. HRSA links state HIV/AIDS toll-free service numbers. In Florida, the HIV/AIDS information line is 800-352-2437, while 850-245-4422 is the state HIV/AIDS Section’s office number. Ask which local organization handles case-management intake.[13][1][6]
  3. Use the HIV.gov locator. The HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator at locator.hiv.gov maps care and support services near you[4].
  4. Go through the site that tested you. HIV.gov notes that “your testing site may help connect you to HIV care right after you receive a diagnosis so you can start treatment as soon as possible,” and that a provider will connect you to other providers you may need[3].

Ryan White serves people with diagnosed HIV and low incomes who need help paying for care that insurance or other resources do not cover. HRSA’s eligibility policy also requires residence in the relevant service area; local programs set income thresholds and documentation procedures. Having insurance does not automatically exclude you.[11][1]

Seek HIV medical care promptly after diagnosis, even while assistance paperwork is being arranged. NIH recommends antiretroviral treatment for all people with HIV, started as soon as possible after diagnosis with clinician guidance. Maintaining a viral load below 200 copies/mL on treatment prevents sexual HIV transmission.[14][15][3]

Medical vs non-medical case management — and why the label matters

Ryan White funds case management at two levels. Medical Case Management, including Treatment Adherence Services, is a core medical service. Non-Medical Case Management Services is a support service[1].

Non-Medical Case Management (NMCM) is “the provision of a range of client-centered activities focused on improving access to and retention in needed core medical and support services,” providing “coordination, guidance, and assistance in accessing medical, social, community, legal, financial, employment, vocational, and/or other needed services.” It includes help obtaining Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare Part D, state pharmacy assistance programs, manufacturer assistance, Department of Labor or Education-funded services, and private coverage — through face-to-face, telehealth, phone, or any other form of communication[2].

Medical case management focuses on improving health outcomes, including treatment adherence. Non-medical case management focuses on access to and retention in services. Both can involve assessment, an individualized plan, benefits coordination and ongoing monitoring, and HRSA’s definitions call for re-evaluation of both types of care plan at least every six months. Describe the help you need so the agency can match or refer you appropriately.[2]

Ryan White’s allowable service categories include housing support, food assistance, medical transportation, emergency financial assistance, mental health and substance-use care, dental care, legal and language services, child care and peer support. Local funding, eligibility and service limits determine what is available. Explain your needs and ask about both funded services and referrals.[1]

What to bring to your first visit

Florida directs applicants to complete an Application to Receive Allowable Services and provides an online application route. Ask the local eligibility office about the current form and acceptable documentation. The state’s 2019 case-management guidelines remain useful background, but current eligibility instructions and benefit notices take precedence.[12][5][6]

A practical bag to pack — not a verbatim state list; exact requirements vary by county lead agency, so confirm locally:

If paperwork is missing, contact intake and ask how to document your circumstances. Broward’s CIED program at 954-566-1417 helps with Ryan White eligibility and schedules intake appointments through multiple locations. Ask your care agency how it protects and shares case-management records, and review any release-of-information form before signing.[7][6]

Florida: the Part B network, and the front doors that already exist

Florida DOH funds 14 Ryan White Part B HIV care consortia and links their lead agencies through its community-programs page. The network helps eligible people access medical and support services where other coverage leaves gaps. Ask the agency serving your county about case management and current benefits. Florida ADAP premium assistance is currently unavailable, even though older general service lists mention insurance-premium assistance.[16][12][5]

The state HIV/AIDS Section office lists 850-245-4422; ADAP’s program help desk is 844-381-2327. A case manager can help coordinate applications or referrals for health coverage, HIV medication, housing, food, transportation and other needs. Each program has its own eligibility and availability; one referral does not enroll you in all of them.[13][12][6]

TOPWA provides outreach and linkage for eligible pregnant people, including help accessing prenatal care, testing and assistance applications in eight funded counties. Ask whether the local provider also offers formal case management; the statewide outreach description does not establish that no provider does. Baby RxPress is a separate infant-medication access program using pharmacy vouchers when families have no other means to pay. Ask the hospital perinatal team to arrange the prescribed medicines before discharge.[8][9]

For Broward Ryan White intake, call CIED at 954-566-1417 to confirm appointment arrangements. In Palm Beach County, CAN’s Lake Worth clinic at Compass, 201 N. Dixie Highway, lists 561-867-9991 for clinical services, including HIV care and linkage support. Compass welcomes walk-ins, but call the clinic to confirm the service, coverage and timing you need; a same-day visit is not guaranteed.[17][7][10]

Related questions

How much does a case manager cost?

Ask a Ryan White provider or local HIV service organization for case-management intake. Eligibility, availability and assignment procedures vary. Ryan White may help when you have HIV, meet local income and residency requirements, and need services that insurance or other resources do not cover. Intake staff can explain any costs and available assistance.[1][11]

What is the difference between medical and non-medical case management?

Medical case management focuses on improving health outcomes and supporting treatment. Non-medical case management focuses on access to and retention in services. Both can include assessment, care planning, monitoring and benefits coordination; HRSA calls for care-plan review at least every six months in both categories.[2]

What should I bring to my first case management appointment?

Ask your intake office which diagnosis, income, residency and insurance documents it accepts. Bring the records you have and a medication list, and ask for help if something is missing. Broward CIED at 954-566-1417 can explain documentation and schedule an intake appointment.[7][11][12]

Is TOPWA a case management program in Florida?

TOPWA is an outreach and linkage program for eligible pregnant people. Services include help accessing prenatal care, HIV testing and benefit applications in eight funded Florida counties. Ask the local provider whether formal case management is available there or by referral; the outreach description alone does not answer that for every provider.[8]

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Last reviewed: September 2026 by the RiseUpToHIV team. Educational content only — not medical advice.

References & Sources

  1. HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program — Available Care and Services. Medical and non-medical case management categories, what a case manager does at intake, eligibility, the provider search tool, and the full list of covered services. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  2. HRSA PCN 16-02, revised January 28, 2026 — Medical and non-medical case-management definitions, including six-month care-plan reviews. Source. ↩↩↩↩ ↩
  3. HIV.gov — Locate an HIV Care Provider. Linkage to care from the testing site, and HHS guidance to start care and treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis. ↩ ↩
  4. HIV.gov — HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator. Federal map of testing, care, and support services by location. ↩
  5. Florida Department of Health — HIV/AIDS. Ryan White Part B consortia lead agencies, covered services including case management, and the Application to Receive Allowable Services. ↩ ↩ ↩
  6. Florida DOH — HIV Case Management Guidelines, 2019. Historical administrative background; use current eligibility and benefit sources for present requirements. Source. ↩↩↩↩↩
  7. Broward Regional Health Planning Council — CIED eligibility and appointment directory. Source. ↩↩ ↩
  8. Florida Department of Health — Perinatal HIV Prevention (TOPWA). TOPWA's 1999 origin, outreach and enrollment role, services offered, and the eight funded counties. ↩ ↩
  9. Florida DOH — Baby RxPress statewide program summary, July 2026. Source. ↩
  10. Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center — CAN Community Health Clinic. Walk-in HIV testing, PrEP education, and HIV care in Lake Worth Beach, with insurance accepted and Spanish/Creole-speaking staff. ↩
  11. HRSA PCN 21-02 — Eligibility, service-area residence and payer-of-last-resort policy. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  12. Florida DOH — Current ADAP application, eligibility and benefit guidance. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  13. Florida DOH — State HIV/AIDS contacts. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩ ↩
  14. NIH — Initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩
  15. NIH — Antiretroviral therapy to prevent sexual transmission. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩
  16. Florida DOH — 14 Part B consortia and lead-agency directory. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩
  17. CAN Community Health — Lake Worth clinic contact and services. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩

Community publications like POZ, Positively Aware, and TheBody inform framing and lived-experience context on RiseUpToHIV. Every clinical, epidemiological, or public-health claim above is anchored to a primary source.

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