Open Arms Healthcare Center launches ‘Becoming a Healthier U’ College Tour
JANS – Open Arms Healthcare Center kicked off its Becoming a Healthier U (BHU) College Tour March 10, 2026, at Pearl River Community College (PRCC) in Poplarville, MS. The multi‑campus tour is bringing free health screenings – including rapid HIV screenings – and health education directly to Mississippi college students.
The BHU College Tour comes at a critical time. Young people ages 18–24 account for a significant share of new HIV infections in the United States, and Black youth and young adults are disproportionately affected. Many face barriers to prevention options, confidential testing, and affirming care on or near their campuses.
“Too many of our young people are navigating adulthood, school, and work without real access to prevention tools that fit their lives,” said Antwan Nicholson, COO of Open Arms Healthcare Center. “Patient‑centered care has to include relevant prevention options – HIV testing, PrEP, condoms, and honest conversations about risk – delivered in spaces where students already are. The BHU Tour is about meeting them on campus, without stigma, and helping them protect their health and their futures.”
Following the PRCC kickoff in Poplarville, additional BHU Tour stops will include:
• Tougaloo College (Tougaloo, MS)
• The University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS)
• Jackson State University (Jackson, MS)
At each campus, the BHU Tour team will host an interactive event featuring:
• Free health screenings, including HIV screenings, blood pressure checks, and other basic preventive assessments;
• On‑site counseling about HIV prevention options such as PrEP and PEP;
• Education on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mental health, and chronic disease prevention; and
• Referrals and warm handoffs to ongoing, affirming care at Open Arms Healthcare Center locations and partner clinics.
“College students deserve care that respects their identity, their time, and their realities,” Nicholson added. “By bringing services to campuses, we are closing gaps in prevention and making it easier for young adults – especially Black students and other students of color – to stay healthy.”
Open Arms Healthcare Center operates clinics in Jackson and Hattiesburg, providing primary care, HIV prevention and treatment, STI services, behavioral health, and direct primary care memberships to patients regardless of insurance status.
For more information about the Becoming a Healthier U College Tour, including event times and future dates, visit oahcc.org or contact Open Arms Healthcare Center at 601-952-3468.
