The AIDS staff provides HIV/STD prevention, education, targeted outreach, and specialized programs tailored for specific groups and populations. The HIV Hotline provides information and referral to other support services and is available to those infected or affected by 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, 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 are some basic programs that are offered, all programs can be tailored to meet any need of the community and anyone else within the HIV/AIDS/STD spectrum.

AIDS 101: A basic program explaining the "how you do and don't" get HIV/AIDS. This basic program is presented to culturally diverse audiences requiring language, style, content and handout materials dependent upon age, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, and geographic location.

AIDS 501: Goes beyond the basic program and includes, at greater length, 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 of the group.

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 bloodborne pathogen in the work setting. It includes basics in OSHA regulations and Standard Precautions.

Reducing the Risk: Maximizes all tools and activities to prolong the onset of sexual activity for youth while providing them with a means of being safer sexually if they should not choose abstinence. ABSTINENCE is 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 Standard Precautions.

Outreach within the Gay Community: Outreach is taking the program; it's information, literature, and safer sex materials, to the community, since the community may not come to a public health office for an AIDS Education program. Outreach has changed 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 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 related to drugs, alcohol, self esteem building skills, and negotiating skills for safer sex. Education through Outreach reaches the Gay Youth in the community, since the majority of people contracting HIV did 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 provides evening hours for HIV testing and HIV testing at off site 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 acts as a regional advisory group to the State HIV Community Planning Group. It is 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 HIV infection. The group is made up of people working in the AIDS field (educators, outreach, health, government, agencies, and religious 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 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 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.