AIDS The Facts Behind The Disease u Every 10 minutes, an American becomes infected with HIV. u Approximately 300,000 people in the United States infected with HIV don’t know it. u Women account for 1 out of every 4 new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the United States, and African-American women account for two-thirds of new AIDS cases among women.
For more information, call or write: AIDS Care & Education Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, Inc. 4615 Philips Highway Jacksonville, FL 32207
AIDS Care &Education
Phone: 904.448.5995 Fax: 904.737.3412 e-mail: AIDScare@lssjax.org www.lssjax.org
u Every 16 seconds a woman is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. u Every 29 seconds, a women dies from an AIDS-related illness. u In the United States, more people are infected with HIV through heterosexual sex than through IV drug use. u 73 percent of all new HIV infections are male, and 72 percent of those males were infected through male-to-male sexual contact u The Southern United States has the highest number of AIDS cases (17,083 in 2008), 2008), with Florida leading the entire region (4,530 in 2008).. 2008)
Providing assistance to people and families who are HIV positive or living with AIDS
“Motivated and guided by the compassion of Christ, we serve and care for people in need.”
Medicaid PAC Waiver Case Management Consumers enrolled in the Medicaid PAC Waiver Case Management program generally suffer from more HIV-related medical conditions and qualify for Medicaid and Disability, in addition to services provided to Ryan White consumers.
Ryan White Case Management Consumers in this program are provided with case management services through advocacy, linkage and referrals to all necessary services. The goal of the program is to improve the quality of life and health for those who are living with HIV, empower them to become active in their care decisions and to build self-esteem. Case managers work to meet needs and secure access to services for consumers, including the following: u Medical & Dental Care u Identification u Food Stamps u Emergency Food & Clothing u Transportation u Housing Assistance u Substance Abuse Treatment u Mental Health Services u Furnishings u Medications u Legal Assistance u Support Groups u Education Materials u Job Placement u Vocational Rehabilitation u GED and continued education
Med-Waiver case managers assist consumers in obtaining access to services and necessary medical equipment provided specifically for their increased needs and situations. This program is designed to keep consumers in their own homes for as long as possible, if not indefinitely, rather than reducing their independence by placing them in nursing facilities. Most of these consumers are able to remain in their homes until there is a need to be referred for Hospice services.
Ryan White Mental Health Program The Ryan White Mental Health Program receives Ryan White Title I and Minority AIDS Initiative funds to provide mental health counseling and support services to HIV-positive consumers who have private insurance and are unable to access mental health services through it, or those who are without insurance altogether. In addition to a master’s level counselor, this program provides direct accesses to psychotropic medication management from a licensed psychiatrist for those who need it. The goal of the program is to improve medical adherence by addressing mental health issues and empowering the consumer to improve his or her self-esteem and coping skills. This program also seeks to improve the consumers’ knowledge of disabilities and recognize how these disabilities affect their mental health.
Housing Opportunities for Women and Children The Housing Opportunities for Women & Children (HOW) is designed to assist HIV positive women and children who are homeless — or at risk of homelessness — in finding stable, decent and affordable housing. HOW has funds provided by a grant from the City of Jacksonville to assist participants with rent and utilities for up to five months. Participants receive services from a housing specialist who assists them in finding and maintaining housing. In addition to housing, consumers receive help in finding employment and building the skills necessary to maintain independent living for themselves and their families. Skills that are learned or improved upon in this program include budgeting and maintenance of positive landlord-tenant relationships.
Shared Housing Program The Shared Housing Program is designed to assist HIV-positive individuals who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness in finding stable, decent and affordable housing with other individuals who are willing to have a roommate and thereby defer the individual overall cost of living. This program is also available to those individuals who are HIV-positive, are already sharing their residence with someone else and are experiencing difficulties in meeting their financial obligations. The funds for the Shared Housing Program are also provided by a grant from the City of Jacksonville. Housing specialists help participants in this program find and/or maintain housing and work to increase skills regarding budgeting.