PrEP in New Jersey — pre-exposure prophylaxis, who qualifies, how to start
The number
New Jersey HIV Prevention Drug Assistance Program covers PrEP medication + clinician visits + labs for residents up to 500% of the federal poverty line.
Ryan White Part B
New Jersey Department of Health, Division of HIV, STD, and TB Services
State ADAP
New Jersey AIDS Drug Distribution Program (ADDP)
Income cap 500% FPL
State PrEP-DAP
New Jersey HIV Prevention Drug Assistance Program
How to start PrEP in New Jersey
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily pill (Truvada, Descovy) or every-two-months injection (Apretude) that prevents HIV in people who don't have HIV. Taken as prescribed, daily-pill PrEP reduces the risk of sexually transmitted HIV by about 99% and the risk from injection-drug sharing by about 74%, per CDC. In New Jersey, PrEP is available through primary-care providers, FQHCs, LGBTQ+ community health centers, and Ryan White Part C clinics — you do not need to see an HIV specialist to start.
To qualify for PrEP you need a recent negative HIV test (or one done the same day), a baseline labs panel (kidney function, hepatitis B, STIs), and a prescriber visit. Follow-up is every three months for a repeat HIV test and medication refill. Most insurance including Medicaid covers PrEP with zero out-of-pocket under the USPSTF Grade A preventive-services rule. The drug manufacturers (Gilead, ViiV) operate patient-assistance programs for anyone without insurance.
New Jersey operates New Jersey HIV Prevention Drug Assistance Program, layered on top of the federal Ready, Set, PrEP program. Eligibility in New Jersey goes up to 500% of the federal poverty line, which covers clinician visits, lab work, and medication. Apply through the state HIV program line at 1-877-764-0500 or any community HIV organization that holds a state PrEP navigation contract.
Black PrEP uptake nationally lags sharply — a 2023 AIDSVu analysis found that Black Americans account for 42% of new HIV diagnoses but only 14% of PrEP users. Long-time Black residents name North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI) and Hyacinth AIDS Foundation as the local institutions that show up consistently — both are listed below.
North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI). NJCRI in Newark is New Jersey's largest Black-led HIV organization, operating an FQHC, Ryan White Part A case management for Essex County, the state's highest-volume community testing program, and the Newark Community Advisory Board for the NIH's HVTN vaccine trials.
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation. The Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, with offices in New Brunswick, Jersey City, Trenton, Paterson, and Plainfield, is New Jersey's oldest HIV service organization and a Ryan White Part B contractor serving roughly 2,800 clients across the state.
For Black families in New Jersey
PrEP uptake among Black Americans lags sharply — AIDSVu's 2023 PrEP-to-Need ratio analysis puts the Black PrEP ratio at roughly one-eighth the white ratio. In New Jersey specifically, with 46% of new 2022 diagnoses among Black residents, closing that PrEP gap is the single highest-leverage prevention move. Black-led HIV organizations in the state run PrEP-specific navigation programs that match you with a prescriber, handle benefits coordination, and keep you in the three-month follow-up rhythm.
Named HIV testing + PrEP sites in New Jersey
North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI)
Newark, NJ • 1-973-483-3444
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation — New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ • 1-800-433-0254
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation — Jersey City
Jersey City, NJ • 1-201-876-0600
Paterson Counseling Center — Broadway Clinic
Paterson, NJ • 1-973-523-8316
University Hospital — FXB Center (Ryan White Part C)
Newark, NJ • 1-973-972-3811
Where to get help in New Jersey
- New Jersey HIV info line: 1-877-764-0500 — staff can find the nearest free testing site, schedule PrEP, or help enroll you in ADAP.
- New Jersey Department of Health, Division of HIV, STD, and TB Services landing page: https://www.nj.gov/health/hivstdtb/.
- Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey: every FQHC offers sliding-scale HIV testing and has certified application counselors on staff. See our FQHC directory for the state at /clinics/nj/.
- State health data for New Jersey: for state-level HIV mortality, maternal health, and life-expectancy context by race, see /health/new-jersey/.
- New Jersey Medicaid: Medicaid is the largest single payer of HIV care in most states. See /medicaid/new-jersey/ for eligibility + enrollment.
- Federal Ready, Set, PrEP: getyourprep.com — no-cost PrEP medication for people without insurance.
- CDC NPIN testing-site finder: gettested.cdc.gov accepts a zip code and returns every free + low-cost HIV testing site within 50 miles.
References & primary sources
- New Jersey Department of Health, Division of HIV, STD, and TB Services: https://www.nj.gov/health/hivstdtb/.
- CDC HIV Surveillance Report 2022: cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html. Source for state-level new diagnoses and race-stratified counts.
- HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantee list: ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/grants/part-b.
- NASTAD ADAP Monitoring Project 2024 Annual Report: nastad.org/adap-monitoring-project. Source for ADAP income cap + enrollment + PrEP-DAP data.
- AIDSVu state profile: aidsvu.org/state/new-jersey/.
- CDC PrEP guidelines, 2021 update: cdc.gov/hiv/clinicians/prevention/prep.html.
Data refreshed: