AIDS Division

The AIDS staff provides HIV/STD prevention, education, targeted outreach, and specialized programs tailored for specific groups and populations, as well as the public in general. The HIV/AIDS Hotline over the phone provides information, education and referral to other support services and is available to people infected or affected HIV. Staff assists persons with HIV/AIDS in the coordination and provision of services through community providers in the Youngstown Region. Off-site anonymous and confidential HIV testing is available in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Ashtabula and Jefferson Counties. For information, presentations, testing times and locations contact Kate Wallace, AIDS Coordinator at 330-743-3333 extension 241.

Services/Programs

The following of the are some basic programs that are offered through the AIDS Division, any of which can be tailored to meet the need of any community or anyone within the HIV/AIDS/STD spectrum.

AIDS 101: A basic program explaining the "how you do and don't" get HIV/AIDS. This elementary program is presented to culturally diverse audiences, who require language, style, content and handout materials. The 101 program is modified for an audience depending on the age, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic location, or other specific group dynamic.

AIDS 501: This is a far more comprehensive educational program that reaches in greater depth into HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. This program is a good introduction for educators and staff and any business working in the care industry to provide information that goes beyond the basics. AIDS 501 is also tailored to meet the needs of the audience that may or may not have a medical background. It is also sensitive to the age, culture, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation, or other group dynamic.

Bloodborne Pathogens: This program details acquisition and prevention methods for all the bloodborne pathogens and is designed for the service worker who is at risk of becoming infected with a pathogen acquired from contaminated blood within the work setting. It also includes basic information concerning OSHA regulations and Universal Precautions.

Reducing the Risk: Is a program designed to provide maximal educational information and group activities intended to prolong the onset of young people who engage in sexual activity. Reducing the Rsk activities also provides them with access to the means of being safer sexually if abstinence is not the chosen method for safer sex. However ABSTINENCE is always emphasized as the best and heathiest choice being safer sexually if they should not choose abstinence. ABSTINENCE is always emphasized as the best and healthiest choice.

AIDS Education for the Gay Community: Entails the same components as in AIDS 101 and some of AIDS 501. The difference is in the setting, which is usually in the gay community. Education is provided not only for individuals and groups, but specifically to owners and staff of gay establishments to both practice and teach Universal Precautions.

Outreach within the Gay Community: Our concept of outreach is to take our programs; it's information, literature, and safer sex materials, out into the community, since the community may not always desire to come to a public health office for an HIV\AIDS Education program. Our outreach has undergone several changes since its inception in 1989 from one where literature and condoms were distributed on a large group level to today, where most of the program places emphasis on one-on-one educati0n/information/counseling sessions with men who have sex with men (MSM), lasting anywhere from one to three hours. These sessions include behavior modification skills for safer sex as it relates to drugs, alcohol, self esteem building skills, and personal skills for negotiating safer sex between partners. Education through Outreach is an extremely important technique in reaching the gay youth in the community, since the majority of people contracting HIV do so in their teens or early 20's.

 

HIV Testing: In addition to the Youngstown City Health District STD and HIV Clinic, the AIDS Division also provides evening hours for HIV testing and HIV testing at the health district offices, as well as off site testing locations in Warren, Youngstown, and Steubenville. Testing is non-invasive (no needles) using the oral swab testing method.

 

Disease Intervention: The AIDS Division also provides for disease intervention through partner notification, testing and referral for HIV and partner notification and referral for testing and treatment for syphilis.

 

Organized Community Activities

The Valley HIV Coalition: The coalition serves as a regional advisory group to the State HIV Community Planning Group. It is a community based group of people who look at the face of HIV/AIDS within the area and determine what interventions and programs are necessary to prevent or fight against the HIV infection. The concept for the coalition is sharing information and group decision-making. The coalition is made up of individuals employed in a variety of AIDS related work  (educators, outreach workers, health, government, agencies, and the clergy) as well as diverse members of the community infected or affected with HIV or AIDS. The group meets monthly and is facilitated by the Local AIDS Coordinator and an elected member of the community, who also has a seat on the coalition. Some of the members, from time to time serve on a review team to review local applications for funding based on established criteria to ensure that the best prevention programs are funded. Applications for the local or State Community Planning Group are available in the AIDS Division.

Ryan White Consortium: The AIDS Division works in conjunction with the Ryan White Consortium to provide information and referral when needed. The Ryan White Consortium is a Federal Program for communities with significant numbers of AIDS cases to provide emergency financial assistance to qualified persons with HIV/AIDS in the area of housing, nutrition, rehabilitation, and some medical assistance. The Health Commissioner, AIDS Coordinator, and AIDS Educators participate or are members of the consortium.