No longer can we rely on the pregnancy test alone to bring in clients. What is needed are more professional services that meet a wider variety of needs.

Our center has discovered a new effective tool to reach more abortion-vulnerable clients — HIV screening. Because of what they know about HIV, most women who think they might have the virus are more likely to abort.

In Michigan, becoming HIV screening certified was relatively easy and inexpensive. The first thing we did was to request certification from the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). When we told them we see about 2,500 sexually active women per year, many who have multiple partners, they were interested. Our state health agency is looking for every opportunity to reach the high-risk population. Obviously, we are seeing a large portion of that population.

The state offered us their five-day training program, the testing materials and all the lab work free of charge. We became certified without spending any money upgrading our facility, training new personnel or buying any new equipment.

Three of our staff and two volunteers took the five-day course and became certified HIV counselors. No previous training or education was required. Because of a relatively new oral testing method called "OraSure," no blood work is required.

As an agency that reaches out primarily to women, we have offered HIV screening only to women. But, because one of our trained HIV counselors is a man, we will accept male clients.

Our organization does what virtually no other private or public agency does. We address the emotional and spiritual implications of behavior choices as well as talk about the only truly safe behavior choice. We do not recommend condoms as an effective option, and we do not dispense them. Rather, we educate our clients on the failure rates of condoms for various STD's as well as HIV and pregnancy.

At Alternatives of Kalamazoo, our mission is to reach the community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our method is to offer hope and meet needs that safeguard the rights, dignity and health of women and their unborn children.

Our goals are to restore relationships and encourage women to choose life. In so doing, we look forward to the day when abortion is no longer considered as an option for women in crisis.

In summary, a very effective, low cost way to increase the number of abortion-vulnerable clients in the PCC setting is to offer HIV screening. We would be happy to answer questions or offer any advice we can to PCC's who might be considering HIV screening.

Jack Hoogendyk is the Executive Director of Alternatives of Kalama.