A
Publication of aids project hartford
HARTLINE
January,
February, March 2007
In
this issue:
AIDS Project Hartford,
Yale
University
and the
University
of
Connecticut
are combining efforts for a new research study known as Project Plus.
This study will determine the effectiveness of a new intervention
targeting HIV-positive inmates in several Correctional Institutions in
Connecticut
. The intervention component
of the project provides risk-reduction education to inmates with HIV.
It has been adapted for this population from the Holistic Health
Recovery Program, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
approved as an effective behavioral intervention.
Project Plus aims to improve services for HIV-positive inmates as
they transition from prison to the community in order to (1) help them
live longer and stronger with HIV and, (2) reduce the occurrence of
risky behaviors, like unprotected sex and sharing needles, that could
lead to harming themselves and/or others.
The program is structured to work in the following way: First, the
nursing staff at the correctional institutions refers eligible
HIV-positive inmates to Project Plus.
Each referred inmate has the option to participate.
Those inmates who choose to take part will attend one educational
session per week for four weeks. Each
individual session lasts for one hour and is conducted by the group
facilitator. The four
sessions cover the following topics: Health Care Participation, Reducing
the Harm of Injection Drug Use, Harm Reduction with Latex, and
Negotiating Harm Reduction with Partners.
The facilitator attempts to make each session as interesting as
possible by including video clips, discussions, hands-on activities, and
Powerpoint slides. Following
completion of the four sessions and the inmate’s release into the
community, the researchers collect follow up information to see if any
improvements in the inmate’s behavior have been made.
As a
pilot study, it is important that the research staff collect detailed
information from the inmates before, during and after they complete the
program in order to determine its effectiveness.
If Project Plus does prove effective in reducing the occurrence
of risky behaviors among newly released prisoners and improving their
knowledge about HIV, the negative effects of risky behavior and ways to
minimize harmful behaviors, then that may lead to future plans to expand
the program to other prisons and to more inmates.
The project team expects Project Plus to begin in February.
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Thank
you to the following individuals and organizations that made
donations
to AIDS Project Hartford recently :
United
Way of the Capital Region
TIDES
Foundation
Roberto
& Caroline Marquez
Lucien
& Gina Bolduc
CT
AIDS Bike Tour
University
of
Connecticut
Archdiocese
of
Hartford
Contributors
of the Webster Bank Jean Dress Down Day:
Mary M. Chamrello, Lisa Neveu, Blanca Cruz, Jeanette Ruiz
Richardson, Susan L. Pausmer, Faye Ferro, Lisa Decorleto, Carmen I.
Garcia, Joann Lukaszewski, Margaret J. Staron, Doreen A. Leclerc, Randy
Appel Johnson, Debora C. Zengal, Allison Gay, Janett I. Govola, Maria M
Trotman, Jean-Ann Stetson, Janice A Cesino,
Clauda Nadeau, Rita Nadeau
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Samuel
S. (1952-2006)
James
S. (1956-2006)
Johnnie
S. (1962-2006)
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AIDS Project
Hartford
Services and Activities Schedule
Case
Management
Monday-Friday
Food Pantry
2nd and 4th Thursdays
from 8AM-Noon
Group (Gay Men’s)
Wednesday at 7PM (call Sandi at 951-4833
register)
Healthy
Relationships for HIV+
Women:
Straight Men:
Gay/Bi Men:
Call for upcoming workshops.
Needle
Exchange Program
Monday-Friday
7AM-10AM (Park St. & Hungerford St.)
Monday-Friday
11AM-1PM (
Albany Ave.
& Bedford St
.)
Wednesday
& Friday 6PM-8PM (
Park St.
& Hungerford St
.
Saturday 9AM-11AM (
Park St.
& Hungerford St
.)
Saturday 11AM-1PM (
Albany Ave.
&
Bedford St
.)
or
call (860) 922-3173.
Positive
Attitudes for HIV+ Gay Men
2nd Sunday (New Haven); 4th Sunday (
Hartford
) 1PM-5PM
Call
Bill at (860) 951-4833 for locations and more information
Special
Events Volunteer Committee
3rd Thursday at 6-7PM
Street
Smart Prevention for Youth
Multi-session workshop for youth, for more information contact Kaye
White at (860)951-4833, ext.313.
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At
Connections
360 Main Street
Hartford
Every
Tuesday 11:00 am-12:00 noon
Hosted
by Kay from
AIDS
Project
Hartford
For
more information call Kaye at
(860) 951-4833
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The
agency would like to welcome four new employees to our roster of
hardworking individuals. Jacqueline
Dyer is replacing Dorette Johnson as the Bridgeport Case Manager for
Project TLC, Pam Walsh has been hired to replace Kevin Strachen as the
new Program Manager at the Connections drop-in center, Stephanie Goydon,
is a newly hired Ryan White Case Manager to fill the gap created when
Ken Flyte transitioned to the Wellness Resource Center in New Britain,
and Leigh Evans is the new Program Manager for the new Project Plus
program.
Jacqueline did her undergraduate work at the
University
of
Rhode Island
at
Kingston
, graduating in 1997 with a degree in Psychology.
Her experience includes working with young people at the
Connecticut
Junior
Republic
and as an HIV Case Manager at the
Southwest
Community Center
in
Bridgeport
,
CT.
Jacqueline was presenting
many classes on HIV Education while at the
Southwest
Community Center
and thought that using her knowledge of HIV would be put to better use
coming over the Project TLC at AIDS Project Hartford.
When asked what has been the most rewarding part of her new
position, Jacqueline stated that she enjoys the busy, challenging
atmosphere of the state-wide project.
Pam Walsh comes to us with 8 years experience as a referral
coordinator in a pediatrician’s office.
During her interview for this article, Pam related that she truly
enjoys working with the clients at Connections and learns a great deal
from them and their diverse origins.
When asked about the most rewarding part of her new position, Pam
clearly stated that she enjoys the atmosphere of being able to be
herself with the clients her fellow staff members.
Stephanie Goydon graduated from UCONN at
Storrs
in 2006 with a degree in Psychology along with a minor in Criminal
Justice. During her final
semester, Stephanie was involved with a prevention research project at
the Center for HIV Intervention and Prevention (CHIP).
Stephanie also gained experience in the HIV field as a Peer
Educator while in high school. The
most rewarding aspect of Stephanie’s new position is watching the
positive reactions from her clients when they realize that she is there
to help them through troubled times.
Stephanie is also very impressed with the strength of the staff
as they assist clients with direct, prevention and educational services.
Leigh Evans is a graduate of
Boston
University
with a Bachelor’s in Health Studies and a Master’s in Public Health.
Leigh’s experience includes working with Harvard Pilgrim Health
Care as a research assistant in a study about Herpes Zoster (Shingles).
Most of her work in this study involved doing over-the-phone
surveys. The TLC Plus
program will enable Leigh to work first hand with prisoners in the
Connecticut Prison system, educating them on issues related to HIV/AIDS.
This program is a newly funded project and will work in tandem
with the present TLC Program (Transitional Linkage into the Community),
which has case managers working with prisoners living with HIV who are
coming out of incarceration and mainstreaming back into society.
Welcome
Jacqueline, Pam, Stephanie and Leigh!
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You
are cordially invited to the
AIDS Project
Hartford
Annual Board Meeting.
This event is scheduled for January 29, 2007 at the APH offices from
6:00pm - 8:00pm.
RSVP to Sandi Damato
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AIDS Project Hartford recently received funding from two
private foundations. A grant
from the Gilead Foundation will provide funds to study the needs and
characteristics of evening and weekend harm reduction services in
Hartford
. Most services that target
substance users and those most at risk for contracting and spreading HIV
operate during daytime hours. This
study seeks to determine if the populations that utilize nighttime and
weekend services are different from those that are served during the
week and if their needs are different.
The results of the study will, hopefully, allow AIDS Project
Hartford and other service providers to apply for funds to expand harm
reduction services in
Hartford
during those critical evening and weekend hours.
On a related note, AIDS Project Hartford applied to the Tides
Foundation for funding to open and operate a
Harm
Reduction
Center
. The center, which will be
located in the north end of
Hartford
, will initially operate during certain nighttime hours and on weekends.
It will offer an array of services onsite including HIV
Counseling & Testing, fixed site needle exchange, limited medical
care and crisis counseling. It
will also offer referrals to primary medical care, substance abuse
treatment, mental health treatment, social services and HIV case
management. The targeted
populations include substance users, sex workers and homeless/transient
individuals. The goal is for
the harm reduction center to become a major point of entry into services
for disengaged populations that are at-risk for contracting and/or
spreading HIV.
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