August/September 2018
Retiring Caregiver Helped Worst Hit in Early AIDS Epidemic Patricia Walthers has been on the frontlines of HIV care for over three decades. In 1984, while working as a Public Health Nurse for Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), she encountered her first patient with Kaposi sarcoma. Throughout the ensuing years, her commitment to helping those affected by HIV/AIDS has never wavered despite the challenges she faced in those early days, and during the almost 20 years she spent at D.A.P., most recently as the Associate Director of Home Care Services. Walthers, who retired in spring, moved to the desert from Michigan in 1980 when her husband received a job transfer and became the Controller for the Desert Sun (owned at the time by The Detroit News). “I thought it was for a few years at the most—surprise!” she says. “That was also when I changed my nursing focus from the Intermediate Intensive Care Unit to VNA.” Later, while working as the Care Coordinator for Desert Hospital Hospice,
she met Richard See, D.A.P.’s former Director of Case Management, and Bill Smith, who became Executive Director of D.A.P. in 1987. See hired her in
“...everyone you meet has something to teach you” 1999—a pivotal time in the evolution of HIV/AIDS care. “The medications were starting to work and people were living longer,” says Walthers. “With the special funding we had—from the Medi-Cal waiver program, Case Management Program, and the Ryan White Foundation—D.A.P.’s Home Care program was able to help people stay home and avoid nursing home placement.” Continued on back
Dramatic Fee Reduction for STI Screening & Treatment Amid an alarming spike in syphilis cases in the Coachella Valley recently, D.A.P. leadership significantly lowered barriers to access for sexual health services at its DOCK clinic. By lowering fees for STI screening and treatment from $80 to $25, they believe the organization can make a difference. “Public funding for healthcare is harder to find every day,” said David Brinkman, D.A.P. CEO. “But making STI screening and treatment attainable for all members in our community is how we can do our part to confront this syphilis epidemic head on.” Anyone at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level is eligible for a sliding fee scale for these services. D.A.P. has long been a resource for compassionate and non-judgmental STI care. Remaining free-of-charge are screenings for HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), and access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Continued on back
Weingart Foundation Enabling UNAIDS 90-90-90 Strategy at D.A.P. D.A.P. was awarded an impactful, twoyear six figure Unrestricted General Operating Support Grant in November from the Weingart Foundation, a Los Angeles-based independent foundation founded in 1951. Weingart Foundation is dedicated to “reducing disparities and providing greater access, resources and opportunities in disadvantaged communities, including those whose… sexual orientation has prevented them from realizing the dignities and liberties all people deserve (www.weingartfnd.org).” Continued on back
Retired Caregiver
STI Screening
She notes that every client had a registered nurse and a social worker case manager who enabled them to access all the resources available to them and also to serve as their advocate. “It was the only program of its kind to provide custodial care specifically to this population. The funding has changed slightly over the years, but D.A.P is still providing this care today.”
In Riverside County, syphilis cases run about 12 per 100,000 people, and the Coachella Valley has 32 cases per 100,000. But the numbers show highest concentrations in Palm Springs, with over 100 cases per 100,000, and North Palm Springs, with 185 cases per 100,000 people. (Riverside University Health System)
While Walthers has seen significant changes during her tenure—medications are more effective and better tolerated, fewer pills are required, and some clients are strong enough to return to work or volunteer—there are still obstacles that need to be overcome. “Clients have buried so many friends, they have no one to list as an emergency contact,” she says. “Comorbidities of cancer, hepatitis C, and chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis continue to be challenges.”
While syphilis disproportionately affects gay men and HIV positive gay men, it also has a devastating effect on women, especially those giving birth. According to the California Department of Public Health, the number of infants born with congenital syphilis increased for the fifth year in a row. In 2017 alone, 30 babies in California were stillborn due to being infected. When babies survive, they often live with permanent disabilities like blindness, deafness, bone problems, and ruined teeth.
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“Of course there were good days and bad days,” she adds. “I had a painting in my office that had a cottage on a cove with a sailboat at the edge of the cove. On good days, the boat was coming into the cove bringing good news. On bad days, I was on the sailboat outbound for a change of scenery.” For someone coming to work at D.A.P. today, Walthers has two pieces of sage advice: “First, everyone you meet has something to teach you—when you treat everyone with mutual respect, everyone involved benefits. Second, you need to take care of yourself before you can care for others.”
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August/September 2018
“Public funding for healthcare is harder to find every day”
– David Brinkman
In addition to syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea are also on the rise, making regular screening and access to treatment even more vital. “We are very concerned about the rising rates of STDs in California,” said Dr. Heidi Bauer, M.D., M.P.H., Chief, STD Control Branch, California Department of Public Health. “Last year, over 300,000 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and early syphilis were reported, a 45% increase over the past 5 years.” The DOCK accepts walk-ins Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., although appointments are recommended. Due to demand, caregiver schedules can fill up quickly.
Weingart Foundation Continued from front
Significantly, this grant supports D.A.P.’s vision to achieve the UNAIDS goal of 90-90-90: That 90% of people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV infection will be retained in care; and 90% of people receiving antiretroviral therapy achieve viral suppression. Demonstrating Weingart Foundation’s confidence in D.A.P.’s stability, growth potential and service to disadvantaged populations, this grant represents Weingart’s investment in D.A.P.’s expansion and an ongoing support relationship.
“...this grant supports D.A.P.’s vision to achieve the UNAIDS goal of 90-90-90”