2016
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Table of Contents WE WORK TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE HIV TRANSMISSION IS
From the Board President & Executive Director
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RARE AND THOSE WHO ARE
My Great Adventure
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Development & Events
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Drug User Health Initiative
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Identity LGBTQ Center
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A Letter from Robert
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Volunteer
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Financial Report
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HIV+ LEAD HEALTHY LIVES. WE CULTIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY STRENGTHS TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
Serving Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga & Tompkins Counties www.stapinc.org
22 Riverside Drive • Binghamton, NY 13905 • Hotline: (800) 333-0892 • Phone: (607) 798-1706
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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01
From the Board President & Executive Director
In 2016, the budget of the Southern Tier AIDS Program and Southern Tier Care Coordination surpassed 6 million dollars, and we now employ 90 staff members. Just five years ago, our budget was a hair over 3 million dollars and we employed 54 staff members. We now provide Care Coordination through the Health Home program for more than 1,000 people throughout our eight county service region. Prior to the Health Home program, we case-managed just 180 HIV+ consumers. This year, our syringe exchange programs trained 1,685 people to use Naloxone, a drug that reverses opiate overdoses, and provided them with the drug. 307 people used that Naloxone to reverse an overdose and save a life. Just three years ago, we did not have Naloxone and were not training people to use it. On the horizon are plans to provide medical services to syringe exchange program participants in Ithaca and expanded housing services in Broome County. We will not lie. The rapid pace of growth over the (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
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YOU SEE, THE THING THAT WE DO NOT OFTEN ADMIT PUBLICLY IS THAT THE WORK WE DO IS DIFFICULT AND REWARDING. THE BEST AND MOST WORTHWHILE WORK IS CHALLENGING — PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.
SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
last 3–4 years has tested our mettle, our dedication and our personal reserves. It has been at points joyful, exciting and terrifying. I have closed my office door and taken a quiet moment from time to time, when I felt like my head might explode with both positive and negative emotions. Other days, I have sat in my office with an overwhelmed staff member and let them know that all would be well. And it has been. The feeling that the task before us is too much and that we do not have the wherewithal to take it on fades, we go home to sleep and come back to fight the next day refreshed and ready to take on the world again. You see, the thing that we do not often admit publicly is that the work we do is difficult and rewarding. The best and most worthwhile work is challenging—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Luckily, this work also changes both the lives of individuals and makes our community a better place to live. This is the thought that buoys us through the hard days — and when you can make a living truly making a difference, you are blessed. — Jerry Halbert & John Barry
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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1,685
90
People trained to use Naloxone via Syringe Exchange programs
Staff members now employed by STAP & STCC
307
1,000+
Opiate overdoses reversed with Naloxone, and lives saved
People receiving Health Home care coordination services
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Vanessa Wilson-Brown: My Great Adventure I was released from incarceration February 2012 and immediately involved myself with the Broome County ABLE Reentry Program.
This is where I first met Jeff Pryor, the coordinator. I was immediately connected to agencies which offered the assistance I needed to guide me toward a successful future. My daughter, Sarita, challenged me to go back to school. I did just that and in June of 2015 I received my AAS in Medical Coding and Billing (Magna Cum Laude). But I knew this wasn’t enough, so I enrolled back into
school to obtain my MSW. I successfully completed a year’s internship with the amazing Reentry Program. I’ve worked hard to pull my life back together, staying focused on my future and rebuilding my family. I’m graduating in August 2017 with my BSW. Today, I am proudly employed by STAP as a Reentry Peer Navigator. I’ve taken back my life and am giving back to my community. With the pivotal assistance from some
amazing agencies, and especially from individuals which believed enough in me to give me a chance, I realize I CAN achieve anything I set my mind to. — Vanessa Wilson-Brown
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Yet Another Eventful Year!
MUD GAUNTLET Our third annual Mud Gauntlet was a huge success. Over 350 participants ran, crawled and splashed their way through over 33 obstacles to complete the event. It was a beautiful sunny day and our participants loved every moment of it. Over $35,000 was raised!
ROCK STAR CELEBRITY BARTENDING BASH Fifteen bartenders competed to win the title of Top Tip Earner and STAP Bartending Bash Winner! The accolades, once again, go to Paul Rushanski, who raised a total of $7,000! Chris Waters came in second place and Leigh Guyette in third place. Over $15,000 was raised!
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
DOGGONE FUN ON THE RUN Although the forecast called for rain, we had a beautiful day for this year’s event. We also added a new feature, Rescue Runway. We invited all of our area’s rescues to attend the event, free of charge. We then held a Runway Show, showcasing adoptable dogs. We are very happy to report that this was a huge success and we were able to find forever homes for many of these dogs. The 2016 Doggone Fun on the Run event raised over $14,000.
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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AIDS RIDE FOR LIFE For the third year in a row, our Top Dog was Sumo! Mom, Mary Ellen Reid, worked very hard to help her fur baby achieve this recognition. For their efforts, Sumo will receive a monthly gift from Bark Box, courtesy of STAP.
For the eighteenth year, hundreds of cyclists joined together riding as many as 100 miles through cities, towns and villages around Cayuga Lake. Diverse abilities, skills, and reasons to ride were many. The miles have a distinct meaning for each cyclist. Some rode for the sense of community, the physical fitness, the challenge, the fabulous event dinner and the personal satisfaction of supporting a very worthy cause!
We remain humbled by the devotion and allegiance of our many Community Partner Sponsors and our nearly 300 volunteers. The importance of STAP’s mission is loud and clear. Over $223,500 was raised in 2016 with an eighteen year total of over $3,600,000! Our highest fundraiser was Elizabeth Bixler with $5,810 and the highest team total was Team Outspokin’ with $18,948!
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
HAIR WARZ We had a full house for the 6th annual Hair Warz show. Thirteen competitors brought their A-game and competed to win the coveted prize of Hair Warz Champion 2016, Patty Ann Sotak edged out the competition with her show stopper, Out of the Darkness. Over $28,000 was raised!
2nd Place Patrick J. Cleary Designs
Best Costume Design Elegance by Leigh Guyette
3rd Place Hair It Is
Salon’s Choice Elegance by Leigh Guyette
Ozi Award Acacia Aveda
People’s Choice Patty Ann’s Hair Design
2016 Hair Warz Winner Patty Ann’s Hair Design
Best Makeup Elegance by Leigh Guyette
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Tompkins County Prevention Point: Drug User Health Initiative During 2016, the Southern Tier AIDS LINKAGE TO THESE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES HELPS TO ENGAGE
Program was able to implement several
CLIENTS IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT
additional services at the Tompkins
SERVICES, PROMOTE OVERALL
County Prevention Point (TCPP) syringe
HEALTH & WELL-BEING, AS WELL AS
exchange program.
INCREASING HOUSING STABILITY INDICATORS.
These services are designed to more effectively serve our current clients, provide increased access to safety and hygiene resources, and engage new individuals who often present in a highly vulnerable state. As part of these expanded services, the TCPP now offers laundry facilities on site, showers, and access to multiple restroom facilities (including an accessible facility for those with mobility concerns). Clients also now have on-site access to nursing staff several days per week, Prevention Care Management staff, and urine screenings for the most common STDs. Many TCPP clients are not engaged with traditional medical care modalities. So, these services offer clients a rare opportunity to speak to a medical professional, in a non-judgmental environment, about their health concerns. The nursing staff can then refer clients to emergency care for life-threatening conditions. For those
clients who present ongoing chronic care needs, these meetings offer an opportunity for them to be referred to Prevention Care Management or Medicaid Care Management staff, who can then assist them with establishing insurance, primary care services, or identifying additional financial resources. Linkage to these wraparound services helps to engage clients in community support services, promote overall health & well-being, as well as increasing housing stability indicators. As a portion of the clients who routinely access the TCPP services are street homeless or unstably housed, as well as having multiple medical complications, this engagement serves to benefit the community in a variety of ways. By increasing positive social determinants of health, improving the community’s public health, and reducing the financial burden of medical care paid by the local community, positive outcomes are realized and resources are available to be utilized for other needs. Interactions with licensed medical staff are also a chance for additional education around harm reduction strategies, available
community resources, substance use treatment options, and the benefits of engagement with traditional medical care systems. Much of the funding for the medical staff is being provided by a Department of Health pilot grant focused on Drug User Health. Two of the main goals of this initiative are to increase access to licensed medical care for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and to destigmatize access to medical care for people who inject drugs (PWID). The agency staff are also conducting outreach and training efforts locally to build community capacity to competently and compassionately serve our clients who use drugs.
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Identity LGBTQ Center
The Identity Center continues to serve a large number of LGBTQIA identified individuals and allies from throughout the Broome County area.
During 2016, this program expanded services to assist participants with additional resources. The Identity program staff pursued and obtained a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with another local nonprofit, Crime Victim Assistance Center (CVAC). This MOU allows for a Crime Victims Care Manager to be on site once weekly, as part of their Safe Harbor grant.
These grant funds are designated to assist in providing services to potential victims, as well as raising awareness in the community and providing education to assist in the prevention of childhood sexual exploitation. Program staff have also partnered with other local businesses to raise funds to assist with the purchase of hygiene supplies for youth in need.
Finally, donations from a local grocery bakery department offer additional no-cost food items to be distributed at the center for those youth who do not have sufficient food resources, or are temporarily housed without access to food stamp benefits.
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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A Letter From Robert
I remember when just the simplest things in life like washing my hands and face were very hard to get done. Being clean is everything. Remembering the past makes me cry. I was given a chance to start living. This program did so much more than give me a place to stay — the war with life is over. I was homeless, living in a hole in the ground (literally), on the edge of a parking lot in Endicott. I was broke, bartering with trash I found. I was starved, living off of the food that stores and restaurants had thrown out. I was dirty, showering in utility closets, laundromats, and boiler rooms. I had several untreated serious medical conditions and I would occasionally find myself in the ER for medical treatment, sometimes just for a warm place to stay. I was connected to the HOST program through UHS. I was resistant and scared to accept the help, asking, “Why did you pick me?” I felt this way because everybody had seemed to take things from me. It was hard to believe someone was helping me without wanting something in
return. HOST wanted to help me to better me — something I hadn’t experienced before. HOST was able to assist me with finding and securing stable housing. They assisted me with apartment searches and getting connected to DSS for cash assistance and Medicaid. Once I had stable housing, the wellness care manager assisted me with getting reconnected to medical providers and getting back on track with my medications. She also provided me with resources to ensure I was eating well. I was enrolled in the Health Home Care Management Program in May 2015. Being enrolled in this program assisted me with staying connected to medical providers, assisted me with getting reconnected to mental services and getting medical transportation arranged, among numerous other things. I can come into the office anytime, and someone is always there to talk with me, no matter what I may be dealing with at the time. These programs have nudged me little by little, week to week, helping me to get back to life. It’s amazing to go from being invisible, to having people really seeing me now. — Robert W.
I WAS RESISTANT AND SCARED TO ACCEPT THE HELP, ASKING, “WHY DID YOU PICK ME?” I FELT THIS WAY BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAD SEEMED TO TAKE THINGS FROM ME. IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE SOMEONE WAS HELPING ME WITHOUT WANTING SOMETHING IN RETURN.
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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Thank You, Volunteers
We have to do what we can to help wherever and whenever it is possible for us to help. —Jackie Chan This is proven year after year by the dedication of the hundreds of volunteers who turn out to help our clients at STAP. They sit at our desks and answer phones. They collect valuable statistics at our sites. They ride their bikes for many hundreds of miles, they climb 12 foot walls in the muck and mire, and they diligently get out monthly newsletters. You will find STAP volunteers at our Prevention sites, keeping them supplied with much needed safety kits. They sit at our reception area and greet our clients with a warm smile and ask how they can help. Our pantries are kept stocked and maintained by volunteers. Our youth are supported and engaged by our volunteers. Thanks so much for all your love and attention you give to the Southern Tier AIDS Program.
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SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM Grants and Program Service Revenue
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Financial Report REVENUE & PUBLIC SUPPORT
2015
2016
2016 Breakdown
NYS AIDS Institute
$2,402,952
$2,380,419
38%
Comprehensive Medicaid Case Management
$1,663,989
$2,146,353
35%
Ryan White Title II
$334,127
$446,336
7%
NYS Department of Health
$177,353
$417,769
7%
Other Grants or Revenue
$223,201
$216,738
3%
Housing Opportunities/People with AIDS
$188,644
$148,849
2%
Broome County Mental Health
$101,760
$101,760
2%
$5,092,026
$5,858,224
94%
$388,727
$369,789
6%
$5,480,753
$6,228,013
100%
2015
2016
2016 Breakdown
Client Services
$1,805,962
$2,607,083
45%
Education & Prevention Services
$1,494,089
$1,585,260
28%
Administration & General Operations
$583,622
$637,476
11%
Direct Financial Assistance to Clients
$403,444
$605,674
11%
Development
$234,763
$247,529
4%
$77,416
$81,240
1%
$4,599,296
$5,764,26
100%
38% NYS AIDS Institute 35% Comprehensive Medicaid Case Management 7%
Ryan White Title II
7%
NYS Department of Health
6%
Public Support
3%
Other Grants or Revenue
2%
Housing Opportunities/ People with AIDS
2%
Broome County Mental Health
Total Grants
Public Support
Total Support & Revenue
Program and Support Services PROGRAM & SUPPORT SERVICES 45% Client Services 28% Education & Prevention 11% Administration & Operations 11% Direct Financial Assistance 4% Development 1%
Volunteers & Other Services
Volunteers & Other Services Total Expenses
SOUTHERN TIER AIDS PROGRAM 22 RIVERSIDE DRIVE BINGHAMTON, NY 13905 HOTLINE: (800) 333-0892 PHONE: (607) 798-1706