In 1989 Youngstown and surrounding areas saw the hiring of its first AIDS Educator. The AIDS Educator could not entice a business to have an AIDS presentation. Education was primarily limited to the basics of AIDS. Presentations on AIDS were the exception rather than the rule. Persons with HIV or AIDS had to be screened for suitability (HIV positive and connected to a case management system) before they were allowed into a support group. This screening was for the clients benefit and safety. Meeting locations were secret and known only to the facilitator and the clients.
In 1996 businesses from the tri-county and surrounding counties called for HIV/AIDS Educational services for all levels and reasons. AIDS Educators are working in the school systems at all grade levels through college. Local AIDS hotline answered increased calls. People at risk can walk into the AIDS offices for condoms and additional information. The AIDS division is primarily concerned with preventing HIV/AIDS through various proven programs and activities.
There is also the component of the Division tat responds to the nneds of those already infected through mental, social, support and financial referrals. Other agencies in the local AIDS network are tackling the drug connection associated with HIV through various outreach methods that take the program to the streets where the drug problem is most evident. Other HIV Prevention programs target women at high risk of HIV.
For information, presentations, testing times and locations contact Nicole Ware-Winford, LSW, Disease Intervention Specialist, AIDS Coordinator at 330-743-3333 extension 241/253.
Services/Programs
The following 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.
Safer Prevention Information Now (SPIN)
A basic program explaining the "how you do and don't" get HIV/AIDS. This basic program is presented to culturally diverse audiences requiring the alteration of language, style, and content and handout materials dependent upon age, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic location. This program is a good introduction program for educators, staff and agencies or businesses to provide information that goes beyond the basics.
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.
Outreach within the Gay Community
Outreach is taking the program, it's information, literature, and safer sex materials to the the community, since the community may not come to a public health office for an 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 education/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.
VOICES/VOCES
Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex is a single session, video-based intervention for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and provides accurate risk information and corrected misinformation. It portrays positive attitudes about condom use, model gender, and culturally-specific strategies for encouraging condom use. This program provides information that imporoves condom negotiation skills among heterosexual African American and Latino men and women who are at very high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Personalized Cognitive Risk Reduction Counseling
An individual level counseling session for MSM clients that provides education and risk reduction interventions, to assist the client in develping strategies that can be used to prevent high risk behavior and better decision making.
Healthy Relationships
A five-session, small-group intervention for men and women living with HIV/AIDS. It is based on Social Cognitive Theory and focuses on developing skills and building self-efficacy and positive expectations about new behaviors through modeling and behaviors and practicing new skills.
Safe in the City
A single prevention educational session that is video-based for STD clinic patients that promote positive attitudes toward condom use, and building self-efficacy and skills to facilitate partner treatment, safer sex, and the acquisition, negotiation, and use of condoms.
Be Proud Be Responsible
A small group skill building and motivational intervention to increase knowledge of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases to reduce positive attitudes and intentions toward risky sexual behaviors among African-American male adolescents
Youngstown HIV Coalition Regional Advisory Group
Youngstown Regional HIV Coalition
A community-based group of people who look at the face of HIV in the area and determine what interventions and programs are necessary to combat the infection. The group is made up of people working in the AIDS field (educators, outreach, health, government, agencies, and religious clergry) as well as diverse members of the community infected or affected with HIV or AIDS. The group meets monthly and is facilitated by the AIDS Coordinator and an elected member of the community. The concept is sharing information and group decision making. Some members act as a review team to evaluate local applications for funding based on established criteria to ensure that the bes prevention programs are funded.