www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

November 18, 2011

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 9

Taskforce still leads the way on HIV and AIDS

by Tracy Jones

Cleveland-The AIDS Taskforce is an institution in the Greater Cleveland community, founded in 1983 as a classic AIDS service organization designed to serve the needs of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Its mission is to provide a compassionate and collaborative response to the needs of people infected, affected and at risk of HIV and AIDS. This is accomplished through leadership in prevention, education, supportive services and advocacy.

Currently, the AIDS Taskforce provides life-giving services such as case management, transportation and nutritional services to over 1,200 clients per year and prevention education, research and advocacy to over 15,000 people both infected

and affected by the virus each year.

As we all know too well, at the onset of the epidemic, clients had very few options for treatment and ultimately few options for their very survival. Yet this year marks the 30-year anniversary of the first reported case of AIDS infection and 30 years of survival.

To date, the AIDS community has made great strides on the impact of epidemic including single-pill-a-day drug regimens, improved and prolonged quality of life for patients, new federal financial support for syringe exchange programs, and new uses of social media techniques that allow realtime communication with clients.

However, the challenges surrounding HIV and AIDS are still omnipresent. They

MSM and the HIV epidemic

include issues with condom use, donor fatigue, persistent stigma and poverty, and for some, the inability to adhere long-term to prescribed drug regiments.

Oh, did I mention poverty?

This is significant because a large number of Taskforce clients survive on less than $10,000 per year.

Today, if you ask most Americans, they believe that AIDS is no longer an issue; however, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we can expect 50,000 new cases of HIV infection in this year, added to the national total of 1,1 million as of 2009. If this fact isn't troubling enough, we currently experience a death of a person living with AIDS every 33 minutes. Although the CDC describes the new

The more things change, the more they stay the same

by Judith Pindell

Several months ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report titled "Estimates of New HIV Infections in the United States, 2006-2009." According to it, men who have sex with men are most heavily affected by HIV. Young MSM (aged 13-29) are particularly impacted, representing more than one quarter of all new HIV infections, while overall HIV incidence has been relatively stable, at approximately 56,000 new infections per year. Congruent with the CDC findings, the National HIV/ AIDS Strategy calls for intensified efforts for HIV prevention in populations at greatest risk of HIV infection.

The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland has signed onto a statewide policy brief, prepared by AIDS Resource Center Ohio and supported by other major Ohio organizations, "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Gay/Bisexual Men (MSM) and HIV/Sexual Health Education in Ohio."

The brief details the need for fair and proportionate funding levels and outlines recommendations and courses of action for effective efforts moving forward. These efforts range from programmatic to public policy initiatives.

As a mainstay within the HIV and AIDS community, the AIDS Taskforce continues to be committed to the needs identified by those we serve and those reinforced by statistical data. The MSM community has been among the hardest hit in this devastating fight against HIV and AIDS, and have also been among the powerful force leading to the progress made in care, services and eradication of the virus. The Taskforce has always prioritized our services based on the epidemiology and the communities impacted by HIV, because of his we have a long history of innovative programs that serve MSM.

So how is the AIDS Taskforce of today addressing the needs of MSMs, including MSMS who are HIV-positive?

EDGES Research Project

Currently the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland is conducting breakthrough research concerning social networks of African-American MSM. Findings from the Engagement of Diverse Groups Exploring Sexuality (EDGES) Research Project will provide us with greater in-depth knowledge about the African American MSM community that will guide the development of an HIV prevention intervention for targeted dissemination of prevention education and safer sex messages utilizing natural friendship circles. This type of intervention will afford us the ability to reach vulnerable groups of individuals who would not normally seek out prevention for HIV and sexually-transmitted infections.

Healthy Relationships

The CDC-initiated project Healthy Relationships is a multisession, small-group, skills-building program for men living with HIV. The program is designed to reduce participants' stress related to safer sexual behaviors and disclosure of their serostatus

to family, friends, and sex partners. The program focuses on developing skills and building self-efficacy and positive expectations about new behaviors through modeling behaviors and practicing new skills.

Beyond Identities Community Center

The Beyond Identities Community Center is a prevention education program of the AIDS Taskforce that addresses the youth development needs of local LGBTQ youth of color ages 14-24 in an effort to reduce their risk for HIV transmission. This is accomplished by addressing the risk behaviors and co-factors which have been known to increase HIV risk for this highly susceptible population.

Ohio Advocates Youth Leadership Council

Lawrence, 20, knows more than anyone the challenges of being young, AfricanAmerican, gay and HIV-positive. But he is much more than a statistic within a CDC report. He's an advocate for effective AIDS public health policy. Through his involvement with BICC and currently the Ohio Advocates Youth Leadership Council, Lawrence is given the tools and opportunity to speak out for himself and his peers. Last month, Lawrence was invited to speak before the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS to speak about his experience and provide recommendations that were very well received. Lawrence has since been invited to speak at the United States Conference on AIDS next month in Chicago. Please continue to read Voice Positive+ for highlights from his address.

AIDS Resources Collaborative Housing

The AIDS Resources Collaborative Hous-

ing, or ARCH, program serves individuals and households who are homeless, housing insecure and communities that are denied equal access to safe and affordable housing based on HIV status and sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, social economics and other societal stigma. ARCH provides services to consumers that assist in attaining and maintaining their housing situation and that facilitate transition to permanent, safe and affordable housing. ARCH provides innovative direct services while working with community leaders and public officials to create systemic change.

cases figure as comparatively "stable,” it is still unacceptable to think that 50,000 more Americans with be added to the HIV rolls, especially at a time when resources for lifegiving treatments have been or are in danger of being cut and many states are experiencing waiting list for the drugs required to preserve the lives of HIV positive people.

As we recognize the hard-fought gains in care, treatment and prevention over the last 30 years of epidemic, the prevailing thought must be to remain vigilant and focused on the end goal.

A cure.

Tracy Jones, MNO, is the chief executive officer of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

One of the leading-edge projects that have been created based on the need in the community is Archie's.

The project consists of a small interim shelter with wraparound services for homeless MSM youth (18-24) who are highly vulnerable clients. The shelter assists in stabilizing the client before they move to permanent supportive housing where the focus is on health, education and employment. The ultimate goal is for the client to be independently living in permanent housing.

Judith Pindell is the director of public policy for the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

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Cash or Check only

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Celebrate the magic of the season while helping

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All proceeds will support the philanthropic efforts of the Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation. Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. To learn more, visit gaycommunityfund.org. Thank you to our generous lead sponsors:

BRICCO

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