Florida Agenda » HIV/AIDS

SOBAP RECEIVES TWO NEW GRANTS

FAdmin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:53:38 +0000

South Beach AIDS Project has been awarded a five-year research grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). In a printed statement, they said they are proud to be one of three site for this study headed by Dr. Jeff Kelly from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Kelly is one of the top researchers in the country and SoBAP says that they feel fortunate to be working so closely with him. This will be a program working within social networks of gay men trying to impact decisions and transfer knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

SoBAP has also been awarded an HIV testing grant which will help them expand their services more in the community. Although they have always had a testing site, this is the first time we have had testing fully-funded. SoBAP’s board and staff know how crucial it is to offer this service to our community so testing has always been a staple in services that they offer. With this expansion, SoBAP will be offering testing and counseling not only in their South Beach Testing Center at 306 Lincoln Rd. (inside the CVS Pharmacy) but will now also be offering testing on Tuesday and Thursday at the P.E.T. Center, 615 Collins Avenue.

These new grants along with others in place have made SoBAP bigger than it has ever been. Although South Beach and Miami will always be their home, SoBAP looks to expand their services to other communities in need. – BK

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Shadowood II – One of Fort Lauderdale’s Less Known

kevinh — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:27:49 +0000

Ken Fountaine sits behind his desk at Shadowood II. His tiffany lamp lit as it’s pouring down rain when I sat to interview him to find out about the organization that he serves as Executive Director. Prior to taking charge of Shadowood II, Ken held the same post at Poverello Food Bank.

Founded by Richard Colbert back in 1994, Shadowood II has been providing services to homeless men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Many of these homeless individuals are also victims of violence once they have informed their loved ones of their status. Accredited for excellence and professional standards by Broward County, Florida, Shadowood II has assisted over 5,000 men and women since 1994. Currently about 55 clients look to Shadowood II for their shelter, food and day to day care.

Currently, Shadowood II, Inc. offers the following services to the HIV community:

Emergency Transitional Housing: A homeless person living with HIV/AIDS will be entered into the Shadowood II program within hours (when space is available). This program runs for 60 days and gives the facility access to full assess the clients’ needs and objectives.

Substance Abuse Housing: Clients who are ready to become clean and sober are enrolled in this program and given a chance to change, attend substance abuse programs, and live in a clean, safe and drug free environment.

Mental Health Housing: Clients who are dealing with minimal levels of mental health issues, that may or many not be a direct results of HIV/AIDS are able to live at Shadowood II under this program.

Project Based (off-site) Housing: Clients in good standing, who graduate from any of the above programs, are offered an opportunity to live in one of their apartments. Chores and expenses are shared and tools and steps are implemented for clients to utilize toward true successful independence.

Dale Madison contributes the weekly column “Pinkies Up” addressing various topics. For questions or comments: troym@jumponmarkslist.com.

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Wilton Manors Organization Receives National Grant Worth $1.3 Million

kevinh — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:30:31 +0000

Latinos Salud operates HIV prevention program for gay Latinos 30 and under

BY DMITRY RASHNITSOV

In a time of budget cuts, shrinking help for non-profits and people with HIV/AIDS being put on a waiting list to receive services finally comes some good news from the Federal Government regarding a highly respected local program.

Latinos Salud (www.latinossalud.org ) has won a $1.3 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to immediately initiate new HIV prevention programs that will serve Broward County’s gay and bisexual Latino communities.

According to the CDC’s newest HIV Surveillance Report, Broward County ranks first in the nation in its rate of news AIDS diagnoses, and second in the nation in its rate of new HIV infections.

“Broward County is Ground Zero in our nation’s HIV epidemic,” said Latinos Salud’s Executive Director, Stephen Fallon. “For the health of our communities, we need prevention programs that are delivered by professionals who understand the culture and values of their gay Latino peers. Latinos Salud will launch two new HIV prevention programs to meet this need.”

All of Latinos Salud’s staff members are Latino, except for Fallon, who speaks conversational Spanish.

According to Fallon, within Broward County, Latinos experienced the highest increase in new HIV infections of any racial or ethnic group, with a 185% jump in reported cases over the past six years, almost all of which were among gay and bisexual Latino males.

“Our ‘Somos’ program has proven that the young, gay Latino community wants to support one another, if they are given the tools they need,” said Rafaelé Narváez, Latinos Salud’s Director of Health Programs. “The ‘Somos’ program has distributed thousands of condoms, and held dozens of safer sex workshops. Clients have also built community spirit through shared activities like the Stonewall Street Parade, PrideFest, drag contests, outdoor sports, and group meetings to discuss the ups and downs of dating in South Florida. The new, CDC-supported programs will allow us to serve a larger cross section of the community, from age 18 to 45.”

Somos runs a clubhouse for Latino men at 2051 Wilton Drive, where members and outsiders can come drop in, hang out, use the free computers, watch TV or enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack without any judgment or pressure.

“One of our new programs will recruit leaders from peer groups to start a dialogue that can ultimately change community attitudes about HIV and safer sex,” Fallon said. “The other new program will provide intensive one-on-one counseling to clients who are having difficulty curbing ongoing risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex with partners of unknown HIV status.”

CDC will fund the agency $1.3M between now and 2015 to implement these programs, and report outcomes back.

Fallon added, “We are excited that the CDC chose our agency to carry out these vitally-needed services. For the past six years, no Broward-based agency had won CDC funding. Latinos Salud is the youngest of South Florida agency selected for funding.”

Fallon and Narváez founded Latinos Salud in 2008 to address an urgent gap in local prevention services specifically targeting Broward’s Latino gay communities.

The agency currently operates an HIV prevention program called “Somos” (which means “We Are!”) for gay Latinos, age 30 and younger. Funded by the Florida Department of Health, the Somos program offers a safe space for community members to find peer support, and education about reducing risks of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. The group currently has 300 members.

Fallon had previously directed HIV prevention programs at two Broward agencies from 1995 to 2004. Over the past decade, through his consultancy Skills4 (www.skills4.org ), he has also trained HIV prevention, service and care staff at agencies and health departments in 40 states. He is co-author of several reports that track the HIV epidemic amongst gay and bisexual males, and author of articles about HIV prevention and treatment best practices.

Beginning in 2001, Narváez first staffed and then managed HIV prevention programs at two Broward agencies, before he and Fallon founded Latinos Salud in June 2008.

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