by Deion Simmons
HAVE
you heard of the Men’s Health Initiative (MHI) at Evergreen? Perhaps “Life Changes” sounds more familiar? MHI used to be called that and was a little different than it is now. I’ve been at Evergreen for a little over a year. In that time I’ve discovered that while many of my coworkers have heard of MHI, few of them know what MHI does or what we can offer to patients who are gay or bisexual men of color. Evergreen offers a wide variety of services and sometimes there’s overlap between those services. MHI is no exception. Many of the things we offer through MHI, such as HIV testing or information about PrEP, are commonplace at Evergreen. However, MHI is distinct from other programs because of our capacity to address a variety of social determinants of behavior besides just health. And, well, we make it fun! It’s absolutely necessary to talk about topics like safer sex or medication adherence, but preaching on and on about them can quickly become tedious for the patient and the educators. Most of the resources for men who have sex with men (MSMs) of color, especially those regarding HIV, don’t inspire much hope or interest. We strive to combine sexual health education with informal discussion, activities and practical services (such as help with resumes and cover letters) that twenty-somethings will find helpful and useful. Our
programming includes a drop-in social group every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., a monthly Art Therapy Group (every first Tuesday), Game Night (every second Thursday) and Movie Night (every third Wednesday). During Art Therapy Group sessions projects have included creating art that represents “an open letter to our younger selves” and “words and images that reflect our daily selfaffirmations.” These meetings can be extremely cathartic and conversations can be organic and vulnerable. At Game Night the tone shifts a bit and is more playful. We play video and card games with each other and laughter fills the air. And finally, for Movie Night, we typically choose films that focus on being queer and people of color. Past examples include “Moonlight”, “Viva”, and “Tangerine.” In 2017 the MHI staff attended a training in Chicago to learn about a new intervention called “Many Men, Many Voices (3MV)”. We’re planning to implement 3MV as a weekend-long leadership retreat held on a quarterly basis with new participants at each session. Some of the topics that 3MV will cover include dual/multiple identities, HIV transmission, relationship dynamics and states of change. Please stay tuned for updates on MHI’s programs and services, and keep your eyes open for patients that might be a good fit for us. If you’d like to refer anyone to our program, contact me at extension 2516 or Deion Simmons via Outlook . I’ll be in touch! Connections
AIDS Walk Buffalo
Hoyt Lake at Delaware Park Saturday, May 5, 2018
Winter still has a grip on Western New York, but here at Connections headquarters we’re looking forward to sunny skies and warm smiles at the annual AIDS Walk Buffalo. A lot of work goes into planning the Walk and it seems to get bigger and better every year. Funds raised at the Walk allow us to continue providing help to the thousands of individuals living with HIV who depend on us. But AIDS Walk is about much more than money. It’s about raising awareness of the impact HIV continues to have on Western New York. It’s also an opportunity to come together as a community to remember those we’ve lost, and honor and support those who continue to struggle with the disease. We’ve come a long way since the epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s when an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Incredible advances in treatment and prevention have transformed HIV into a manageable condition. However, we’re reminded on a daily basis that we still have a lot of work ahead of us. There are tens of thousands of new cases of HIV diagnosed yearly in the United States, a stark statistic to remind us why we continue to walk. Many of our walkers have powerful stories about why they participate. Some have been participating since our humble beginnings back in the early 1990s! Do you have a story, too? We invite you to join Team Evergreen and walk with the Evergreen family and hundreds of other Western New Yorkers at this year’s AIDS Walk. Last year Team Evergreen boasted 51 members and raised more than $13,000! This year we hope to do even better. To join Team Evergreen visit AIDSWalkBuffalo.org and click the “Join a Team” button. Watch for more about AIDS Walk and Team Evergreen in next month’s issue of Connections! Connections
Birthdays Kasha Lebron......................... March 5 Jacquelyn Dixon..................... March 6 Jeffrey Santiago...................... March 6 Kevin Kaiser........................... March 7 Harold Colburn...................... March 10 Gabrielle Mahapatra............... March 10 Veronica Velazquez................. March 11 Shevy Fitzgerald-Matson......... March 11 Theresa Shankland................. March 12 Erin Pepicello......................... March 13 Rachel Voelkle-Kuhlmann....... March 14 Nichole Frank........................ March 15 Shirley Swenson..................... March 15 Cristina Salcedo-Postell........... March 16 Susan Vanderwerf................... March 17 Trish Hopkins........................ March 17 Elizabeth Pijanowski............... March 17 Joseph Ryan........................... March 17 Mindi Mietlicki....................... March 18 Theresa Woehrel.................... March 20 Kaitlyn Gately......................... March 20 Kate Gallivan.......................... March 22 Brittany Price......................... March 26 Byron McKinney..................... March 26 Johanna Aponte...................... March 26 Josh McClain.......................... March 27 Cord Stone............................. March 28 Kimberly Johnson Brown........ March 31 Alisha Sanders-Baity............... March 31
Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago - Andon Ticco A Best concerts I’ve ever been to: Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Fleetwood Mac, Jann Arden, Janet Jackson, Four Voices: Joan Baez, Indigo Girls, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. - Matthew Crehan Higgins A When The Maine played the Town Ballroom a few months ago. They’re my favorite band and aside from being one of their best shows, the opening band named The Night Riots blew me away with their performance, complete with a glow-in-the dark drumstick act. They’re now part of my daily playlist. The worst concert was also a few months ago. A band I like produced the main band’s last album, so I thought why not? Well, the opening bands were mainly screamo/hardcore, genres I’m not a fan of, so it became the only show I’ve ever left early from.” LeAnna Shanks A Kate Jacobs. I was literally the only person who showed
Anniversaries Charles Smith............................... 1 year Andrew Youngman....................... 2 years Steven Jagord............................... 2 years Dana McHale............................... 2 years Indoallana Quinones.................... 2 years Renee VanAernam, Renee............. 2 years Abby Depczynski.......................... 3 years Kathryn Kraft............................... 3 years Lidia Kendrick.............................. 3 years Kasha Lebron............................... 3 years James DeGarmo........................... 5 years Justin Azzarella............................ 6 years Kelly Craig................................... 8 years Angel Palmer............................... 17 years x x
up so I got to sit and talk with her for over an hour. - John Carocci A I think many of you know my answer already but by far the best was Britney Spears! I’ve seen her three times and this January for New Years in Vegas was the best ever. I might try to catch her tour again this summer! - Andy Kiener A Michael Jackson August 1984 at Rich Stadium was the best, the worst was Drake. These young artists don’t know how to put on a show. - Marlyn Moore A Best concert in the “before they were megastars” category was in 1983 at the Fulton Theater in Pittsburgh. U2 promoting the “War” album. The Fulton is a stunning historic theater that seats around 1300. Who knew... - Julie Rapp A The Best? Prince – he performed for three hours. The Worst? Musiq Soul Child – his music was louder than him. Could not hear him very well over the music and it was a short performance. - Carmela Green Connections
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March is Women’s History Month In 1980, President Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8th Women’s History Week to coincide with International Women’s Day. Started in 1987, Women’s History Month distinguishes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society. Each year, the National Women’s History Project chooses a theme. The 2018 National Women’s History theme provides an opportunity to honor women who fight all forms of discrimination based on race and ethnicity, class, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status and many other categories.
Connections
H
epatitis C is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is spread primarily through blood-toblood contact. Most cases of HCV transmission in the United States are the result of sharing needles or other injection drug equipment, which is also a risk factor for HIV. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that while approximately 25 percent of people living with HIV in the United States also have HCV, that figure jumps to between 50 and 90 percent among people who inject drugs. Evergreen has a Hepatitis C program with an amazing success rate. For example, in January 2018, 56 of our patients either completed the treatment regimen or were declared cured (a cure is based on lab results three months after the end of treatment). The program receives referrals from a variety of sources, including medical providers throughout the region and Evergreen’s own STI clinic, Harm Reduction Center and OASAS test counselors. There are also referrals from several STI screening programs in the community. Liza Pereira is Evergreen’s Linkage Specialist. She meets with patients to enroll them in the Hep C program and address any potential obstacles to treatment the patient may have in their life. “I ask them ‘what’s your problem?’” she said with a laugh. “‘And how can we help you?’” Liza quickly learned that patients coming to the Hep C program are dealing with the same multitude of issues as the rest of our patients: housing, mental health, transportation, substance use, all of it. “I do my best to help them deal with these things so they can focus on taking care of
don’t have anyone. I’m homeless. Nothing good will ever happen.’ Well, they can change and do better for themselves. I did it and they can too. But they need someone to care. They’ve been beat down so much that they’re used to failing. It’s their norm. They accept it. That’s wrong, and remembering how it felt keeps me grounded. I don’t ever want to feel it again. I don’t want them to either.” Liza talks about her patients with affection, understanding and — most of all — compassion. She speaks of her co-workers the same way. “We have an amazing team,” she said. “Different workers with different styles, and we all work together and complement each other. I’m learning so much. Just watching how people work with whatever comes their way in their own unique style. Evergreen is committed to helping as many people as possible with Hepatitis C get cured, especially as advances in treatment make the cure easier to achieve. “It’s down to eight weeks now,” said Liza. “You can’t beat it. I treated for a year!” That year was well worth it, however. Being cured of Hepatitis C was a bigger achievement for Liza than she thought it would be. “I didn’t expect it. I though that was just how it was going to be. But it was incredible for me, and the experience allows me to connect with our patients. I really enjoy that moment when I can tell them ‘you’re cured!’” There will be many more of those moments for Liza. Referrals to the Hep C program are coming in at a good pace, and Liza credits our Harm Reduction philosophy. “Word is out that Evergreen is stigma-free,” she said. “We don’t look at things that are judged in other places. It’s normal for us, whatever ‘it’ may be.” Connections
liza pereira
the Hep C,” said Liza. “If they don’t have food or stable housing, it’s really hard to stay adherent.” Adherence is essential to the success of the cure. That amazing success rate is dependent on patients taking their medication and keeping up with appointments and medical tests. Liza is ready and willing to step in when a patient is having a rough time. “One patient, she was having a bumpy road with insurance,” recalled Liza. “This on top of other issues in her life like housing and transportation. She was getting discouraged. I worked with her, picked her up for appointments, made sure she had tokens, all of that. She was so happy on the day she was approved to start (Hep C) treatment. She was doing well and staying adherent. About three quarters of the way through the treatment she called up and cancelled all her appointments. She said ‘I’m done, I don’t want to be bothered.’ I asked her ‘what’s going on, talk to me’ but she just said ‘no’. I gave her a couple of days then called her. It turned out she’d relapsed, and was ashamed. She didn’t want to disappoint us. She didn’t think she was worth it. I convinced her that this wasn’t true at all. She stayed in the program and was eventually cured!” Shame, stigma and feelings of self-doubt are all too common among the people we serve. Liza knows these feelings from experience. She has been fearless in sharing details of her life with the world — living with HIV, being in recovery and overcoming Hepatitis C. “I share my story,” she said. “I see them react. It’s like a weight drops from their shoulders and they think ‘damn, finally someone understands.’ When they come to us they might be thinking the worst about themselves. ‘I
by Thomas Fronczak LCSW-R
L
ast month I wrote about the importance of bringing balance
We can be thoughtful, generous, nurturing and compassionate to
to the care and compassion we offer our patients on a daily
others, but we darn well better be thoughtful, generous, nurturing and
basis. Finding and maintaining that elusive sense of balance
compassionate to ourselves as well. If we’re not, he said “it is difficult
can be part of a daily mindfulness practice. I had the opportunity to see
to call yourself a compassionate person”. Compassion optimally flows
the Dalai Lama a few years ago at a Mindfulness Meditation conference
in both directions. Our patients let us know that we make a difference
sponsored by Harvard Medical School. I was so moved and motivated
in their lives, which motivates and inspires our work. But we can only
by his teachings on compassion that I began a deeper inquiry into what
be effective and helpful with others if we’re taking equally good care of
he referred to as “the circle of compassion” and “self-compassion”.
ourselves. Here are some creative ideas on how to find your pathway
We’re all very good at being nurturing and compassionate to others, but
to self-care and self-compassion. May we all create the time and
as the Dalai Lama expressed, “compassion is a full circle experience”.
space to take good care of ourselves. We’re all deserving and worthy!
MOVE! Take a lunchtime walk, take the stairs or join a gym or other
dopamine (brings a sense of pleasure/joy), serotonin (soothes you).
fitness class. If anxiety is an issue and you feel flooded with adrenaline,
speak! Find a mantra that is soothing and supportive: “This is my
a gentle walk or 20-30 minutes of stretching will help metabolize
now, this is not my forever.” “May I be peaceful, May I be healthy,
the adrenaline. feed yourself! Move toward a whole food diet,
May I feel loved.” Plan! Plan how to reduce/eliminate the stressors
adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and
from life, e.g., working on a financial goals plan so you can see the
seeds. These can reduce inflammation in the body. Reducing animal
progress you’re making; saving for a vacation you want or reducing
products and eliminating processed foods, including processed
debts that are making things tight. Pick one variable to start with.
oils, also reduces inflammation. Inflammation affects all bodily
Create a small goal. Gives opportunity for success. go! Schedule a
systems, including the brain. mind your mind! Mindfulness
day trip, vacation or educational trip. Explore. Learn. Relax. laugh!
meditation, yoga, tai chi and deep breathing are all ways to care for
Watch a comedy DVD. Turn on the Comedy Channel or Netflix.
your mind. You can take a meditation class or watch a short guided
pet! Connect with your animal companions. Dogs and cats all live
meditation video on YouTube. Connect! Sharing your stress
in the moment and help us stay grounded in the present. Walk the dog
with family, friends and loved ones will reduce feelings of isolation
or neighbor’s dog. Pet a cat. Remember! Look at pictures, listen to
while increasing your social connection. Our brains are designed
music or watch a DVD from a time past that was very pleasant to you.
for connection. Connection heals! Reconnect! Reconnect with
Reminisce with a family member or friend. See good! Reflect on/
friends you haven’t connected with for a while. Reconnect via phone,
talk about the things that are going well in your life, no matter how
email or text. Consider joining a social group. reach out! Reach
large or small. When you shift the focus of your attention, you create
out to a professional, if need be. Consider therapy or support groups.
changes in your brain chemistry which ultimately lead to changes
text! Send a friendly text to all your friends and watch the response
in your experience. read! Let yourself become immersed in the
on your text feed. Or re-read old text messages and listen to saved
story or book you’re reading. smile! Put a half smile on your face.
uplifting and supportive voicemail messages from caring people. fix
It changes the neurochemistry in the brain to make you feel safe
it! Do DIY or repair projects around the house. Sometimes fixing
and relaxed. stop! When your mind is racing or in a negative state
something you have control over feels pretty good, especially when
PAUSE and take 2-3 deep breaths to create a shift in the nervous
there are things going on that you feel you have no control over! help!
system. step! Walk in nature. get out! Get outside and find
Focus on others through volunteering. self care! Self-nurturing
places where other people are gathering (walk around the mall, a
activities: hot bath, eat your favorite comfort food, treat yourself to a
park, the zoo, church, festival, a walking or bike path, etc. Become
massage. Be gentle with yourself. Befriend yourself. Get on your own
a part of something larger than yourself). more? If you have other
side. Hug! Hug a significant other or friend. Hugging for 20 seconds
ideas, please let me know and I’ll update the list! Have a great day.
releases stress reducing oxytocin (helps you feel safe and connected),
Appreciation. Respect.
Connections
The Compliance HelpLine, 716-541-0663, allows employees, interns and contractors of Evergreen to anonymously report concerns such as sexual harassment, Medicaid billing fraud, HIPAA violations or any concern an individual may have.
T
Yes, it really is
completely anonymous! The HelpLine is answered by a third-party answering service. When you call there is a prerecorded message that tells you how the HelpLine works and then, after a few rings, an operator will answer and ask you what you would like to report or say. The operator is someone who is not associated with Evergreen in any way. The operator transcribes your message into an email and sends the email to the Corporate Compliance Officer.
T
Unless you choose to identify yourself there
is no way the Compliance Officer will know who sent the message. If you do choose to identify yourself you are protected by Evergreen’s Non-Retaliation Policy, which can be found in the Corporate Compliance Plan, pages 18-20. — David Haefner, Esq.
Evergreen Compliance HelpLine
716-541-0663
High-Five. Noun. A gesture of greeting, good-fellowship or triumph in which a person slaps the upraised palm of the hand against that of another. Here’s a list of everyone who got a high-five between January 13 and February 16. Connections A Aaron Patterson
A Drew DiRienzo
A Ian Schunk
A Adam Costanza
A Emily Oaks
A Jeffrey Santiago
A Amanda Thornton
A Gianna Puckett
A Jessica Lehsten
A Ann Breidenstein
A Gloria Kornowski
A Jillian Fanning
A Brianna Cabrera
A Hannah Burrows
A Jocelyn Leising
A Christine Marrano
A Harold Colburn
A Katie Mego
A David Setlock
A Heather Maloney
A Keisha Leavy
A Dawn Ganoe
A Helene Cacciato
A LaTanya Walton-Brown
A Lauren Siegler A Lauren Voelkle A Linda Colburn A Lisandra Rivera A Liza Pereira A Maria Cruz A Mariel Walsh A Matthew Crehan Higgins A Mel Lemay A Nicole Mitchell A Niseishka Arroyo A Norma Bocanegra A Rachel Voelkle-Kuhlmann A Robert Diaz A Robert Smith A Rosemary Roche A Sally Russell A Sam Gaerte A Stefanie Lyons A Steve Jagord A Susan Lowe A Tara Monaco A Ted Mighells A Theo Herman A Tia Johnson A Tiffany Valentin A Ventenese Hollins
With so much change happening at Evergreen it’s important to refresh our evacuation procedures. Many of us have moved to new work spaces and may not be familiar with the evacuation routes for the new area. Please take a moment to check in with your point person, and if you’re the point person make sure your staff list is up to date. Without detailing every route, there are some general rules one should be mindful of when evacuating. At no point should staff cross the bridges connecting the Roanoke and the Annex during an evacuation. Be aware of the nearest staircase and exit as quickly as possible. Once you reach the ground floor utilize the stairwell doors in the Annex and the side entrance adjacent to the food pantry in the Roanoke. Otherwise there may be clustering in the atrium which could slow down everyone’s exit. If there are patients or staff with mobility issues assist them to one of the staircases and make note of their location so that you can report
it to your point person. In the event of an actual evacuation we can give these locations to the first responders. As a result of our growth, as well as our desire to be good neighbors, we’ve changed our evacuation location for the Roanoke/Annex, the Watkins and the Victorian. We’ve outgrown our previous spot in front of Hutch Tech, and in the event that school was letting out — or if they were conducting their own evacuation — this could add to the chaos of an already hectic situation. From now on our new meeting point will be the sidewalk on the Prospect Avenue side of the Evergreen Commons. We ask that point people from the first floor start lining up at the edge of the driveway, while subsequent floors fall in line behind them in succession, extending towards the corner of Georgia Street. We’ll be rolling out a graphical representation shortly for reference. As always, if there are any evacuation related questions don’t hesitate to shoot us a ticket or email.