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BLACK HEALTH
COALITION OF WISCONSIN INC.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HIV/AIDS
PROGRAM
Coordinates the overall efforts of the various committees and
recommendations. Gathers data pertinent to the African American Community as it
relates to HIV/AIDS. Is also responsible for evaluation of Resource Center
programs.
Consumer Issues
Committee
Comprised of people living with HIV/AIDS and those affected
to ensure that consumer needs and issues are recognized, met and addressed
effectively.
Youth
Leadership Council
Youth involved in
this committee share their opinions on HIV related issues while becoming skilled
HIV peers, educators
The HIV/AIDS Program collaborates with organizations that have a
religious or spiritual base. These organizations have become venues for reaching
and educating members of the African American Community not reached through
traditional Community Based Organizations (CBOs). There are currently two
projects that are within the Faith Based Initiative. The Black Church Week or
Prayer for the Healing of AIDS and the Counseling and Testing Program.
The Black Church Week of Prayer - For the Healing of AIDS
This project is a faith-based initiative designed to
organize black churches in the local observance of a National program
developed and operated by the Balm in Gilead located in New York City. It is
held during the first week in March of each year. This endeavor reaches out
to black religious leaders to increase education, awareness and compassion
for those both infected and affected by this disease. This project also
provides on-going training and education sessions to pastors, clergy and lay
church people on HIV/AIDS.
Counseling and Testing Sites
The HIV/AIDS Program is partnership with the
Milwaukee Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (MCNBNA)
and a number of Black Churches in the Milwaukee area which provides HIV
Prevention Counseling and Testing Services. These services are provided by
members of the Black Nurses Association at the various church sites.
Technical Assistance/ Capacity Building
The HIV/AIDS program provides these services to individuals and
agencies of color that provide or are interested in providing HIV education,
prevention and care. Some of the areas covered include (but are not limited to)
outreach, program design and evaluation, grant management, cultural competence,
and grant writing. All are designed to build the infrastructure of agencies of
color and to increase the capacity of the community to participate in it's own
solutions. These services are provided on both an individual and group basis.
The Contents of the "Milwaukee Nia Plan" which will be the
blueprint for the Resource Center also highlights the need for other services
such as:
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Family Support
Services: Housing, Food, Clothing
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Employment
Services
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Legal Services
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Family Support
Group/ Mental Health
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Advocacy
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Access to
Information Technology
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Community Based
Research
HISTORY
In 1998, the alarmingly high numbers of HIV infections among
African-Americans led U.S. Surgeon General, David Satcher, to declare a
National State of Emergency. To respond to the AIDS crisis, the
African-American HIV/AIDS Task Force was formed by the Black Health
Coalition in November 1998. The Task Force brings together community based
organizations (CBOs), churches, businesses, criminal justice, educators,
health care providers, social service organizations, fraternities and
sororities, AIDS-serving organizations, HIV infected and affected
individuals, families, and volunteers.
We believe the community must play a
leadership role in creating solutions to the challenges it faces.
DID YOU KNOW?
As of December 31,
2001:
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African
American women make up 48.3% of HIV Infections among women in Wisconsin?
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29.8% of the HIV
infections among men in Wisconsin are African-American?
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African-American
children make up 61.5% of the pediatric HIV infections in Wisconsin?
Source: WI AIDS/HIV
Program
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