Save the Date: NAHOF Conference in DC March 8-10

The National Association of HIV Over Fifty (NAHOF) Annual Conference, titled 'Aging & HIV/AIDS
in the 21st Century ' will take place in Washington DC from March 8th to March 10th at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. The focus of the conference is HIV in the context of aging and chronic disease. In addition to keynotes, panels, Congressional lobbying and joint social and strategy events with DC area groups, several breakout tracks are planned, dealing generally with Community, Knowledge, Care, Prevention and Action. Each track will include presentations on theory, research and clinical practice along with hands-on workshops. For more information, contact jcampbell@hivoverfifty.org

Catania calls for firings at AIDS office

the following article appeared in the Washington Blade print edition this week but did not appear on their website. I thought it was worth posting here..

City AIDS administration officials came under sharp questioning at a D.C. Council hearing Monday following the release of a city audit that showed the agency failed to properly monitor millions of dollars in grants to vendors providing services to people with the disease.

Marsha Martin, head of the Administration for HIV Policy & Programs (AHPP), and Department of Health Director Gregg Pane fielded the inquiries. The audit found that 14 vendors providing AIDS-related services were operating illegally because they did not have the required license to conduct business in the District of Columbia. Others were not certified to provide Medicaid-related services to clients that the city paid them to assist, the audit found. The report did not identify the problem vendors described in the audit.

The D.C. Office of the Inspector General, which conducted the audit, is investigating one of the vendors for possible criminal prosecution after determining it was not performing any of the work the city was paying it to do, an official with the office said.

According to the audit, grant managers at AHPP failed to conduct required onsite visits and did not keep sufficient records to adequately assess whether the vendors were doing the work specified in the grants and contracts the city had awarded them.

D.C. Councilmember David Catania (I-At-Large), who called the hearings in his role as the chair of the council’s Committee on Health, expressed outrage that the newly released audit uncovered some of the same internal management problems at AHPP that a similar audit discovered a little more than a year ago.

FINDINGS UNACCEPTABLE

While pointing to significant improvements at AHPP since September 2005, when Martin took office, Catania called the latest audit findings “unacceptable.” He called on Martin and Pane to fire grant monitors and other employees found to be negligent in performing their duties.

“I want to hear they’re no longer with this government because we cannot continue to pour old wine in a new bottle,” Catania said.

Catania released additional information he obtained from the city’s chief financial officer showing that AHPP failed to spend about $5.6 million in federal funds for AIDS programs in 2006.

Details about lingering problems as well as improvements at AHPP under Martin’s first year in office surfaced in a 31-page report released last week by the Office of the D.C. Inspector General, which outlines the findings of the audit.


William DiVello, a spokesperson for the Office of the Inspector General, said the office has a policy of not releasing the names of organizations or individuals that are subjects of audits. He said his office is investigating the vendor found not to be performing its work to determine whether criminal charges should be filed against it.

But in response to Catania’s questions, Inspector General officials identified the vendor under investigation for allegedly not performing its duties as Our Children, Inc., a community-based organization located on Good Hope Road in Southeast Washington.

Bridget Johnson, a spokesperson for the group, told the Blade in an Oct. 25th interview that officials with the group believe investigators with the Inspector General’s office “went to the wrong address” when they sought to verify Our Children’s work related to its AHPP grant.

“Their information was wrong,” Johnson said. “We have done the work.” Johnson declined to provide further details, saying the group’s executive director would issue a statement later.

Martin and Pane acknowledged the problems outlined in the Inspector General’s report and audit and promised to take immediate steps to correct them. Pane said he was especially troubled over the AHPP’s inability to disburse and spend federal funds in a timely manner.

“I take full responsibility,” he said. “I know it is not acceptable to her and it’s not acceptable to me,” Pane said, referring to his and Martin’s effort to improve procedures for grant management and the expenditure of funds.

Pane hired Martin as head of AHPP in September 2005 shortly after he fired her predecessor, Lydia Watts, for failing to improve the trouble-plagued AIDS office.

Watt’s firing came 11 months after Mayor Anthony Williams appointed her to head what was then called the HIV/AIDS Administration, or HAA. Williams named Pane as head of the Department of Health around the same time he appointed Watts.

Many of the longstanding problems associated with HAA during Watt’s tenure and the tenure of her predecessors were uncovered during a series of oversight hearings Catania conducted in 2004 and 2005. Martin, a former health official in the Clinton administration and the former executive director of AIDS Action, a national AIDS advocacy group, has been praised by gay and AIDS activists as an experienced and committed champion for people with HIV/AIDS.

To continue reading this article, pick up a copy of this week’s Washington Blade

National Asian and Pacific Islander (API) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Saturday, May 19, 2007 is the third annual National Asian and Pacific Islander (API) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This observance day intends to raise awareness among Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. about the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , today there are an estimated 1.039 million to 1.185 million HIV-positive individuals living in the U.S. AIDS has killed more than 20 million people since the first cases were diagnosed in 1981. For APIs, one of the fastest-growing ethnic/racial populations in the U.S., HIV/AIDS is on the rise. According to the CDC, the number of APIs living with AIDS has climbed by more than 10 percent in each of the last 5 years. The number of adult and adolescent APIs diagnosed with AIDS through 2004 was 7,317.

For more information, check out the Banyon Tree Project Website

City Year DC: HIV/AIDS Outreach, Prevention, & Education (HOPE) Team

The mission of the City Year HIV/AIDS Outreach, Prevention, & Education (HOPE) Team is to address and prevent the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the DC community by educating young people about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how the infection is spread. In partnership with Metro Teen AIDS, City Year corps members deliver an 9-week curriculum entitled Making Proud Choices. This CDC-approved curriculum is specifically designed to increase the knowledge of young people about HIV/AIDS, to prevent infection, and to develop positive attitudes about safe sex. Participants build confidence in their ability to negotiate no sex and safe sex through eight modules of interactive educational activities that include role-playing, brainstorming, small group discussion, and video presentations.

Targeting 7th-12th grade students in DC public and charter schools, the HOPE Team delivers the Making Proud Choices curriculum to more than 12 middle, junior high, and high schools over the course of the school year. Each year, the HOPE Team reaches at least 1,500 DC young people with the Making Proud Choices curriculum.

Building on the momentum created by the curriculum, the HOPE Team supports, educates and empowers students to launch after-school clubs focused on promoting healthy choices called “Visionary Youth Becoming Empowered” (VYBE). Working with school faculty, the HOPE Team helps interested students learn about healthy choices and engage their peers in making healthy decisions. VYBE clubs are currently active at Eastern High School and Bell Multicultural High School.

DC ACTION November Newsletter Now Online

Just a quick note to let you know the ACTION Novembe Newsletter is now online and is chock-full of useful information. See the November Newsletter as a PDF file right here.

Art for Life

Art for Life is a reception and live/silent auction that raises money to help Whitman-Walker Clinic serve Latinos living in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This annual art auction is made possible by local, national and international artists who donate their works to the auction and our sponsors and individual donors. This year the event will be held Friday November 17th at the Organization of American States (17th St. and Constitution Ave., NW) starting at 6:00 PM. View our 2006 auction catalogue here. Online ticket purchase available here.

Routine HIV Testing at Howard University Hospital

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- Howard University Hospital Monday became the first in the nation to offer routine HIV testing for all patients, employees and students.

The Washington hospital will begin posting HIV screening liaisons in each department to administer free, voluntary HIV tests. The staff will use Food and Drug Administration-approved OraQuick Advance, a saliva-based test that determines a person`s HIV status within 20 minutes.

All patients will be offered the free test, but they will have the choice to verbally opt out, said Dr. Celia Maxwell, director of the hospital`s Center for Infectious Disease Management and Research. Maxwell added she doesn`t expect many people to opt out, as most want to know the status of their health.

'It`s my hope this becomes like a cholesterol test -- just a standard routine (given) by your doctor,' Maxwell told United Press International at a launch kick-off at the hospital. HIV/AIDS 'should be destigmatized, because this is a disease like any other.'

The district has the highest rate of AIDS in the country: New AIDS cases hit 179.2 per 100,000 residents in 2004, vs. 15.0 cases per 100,000 nationwide -- surpassing rates of some sub-Saharan countries. There are approximately 40,000 to 45,000 new cases of HIV diagnosed nationwide each year, mostly under the ages of 25.

The screening program comes in response to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, issued in June, that HIV testing be included as part of regular health screening for Americans. Although the CDC suggested testing Americans 13 to 64, the D.C. government has advocated increasing the age of screening to 84.

Maxwell and colleagues modeled the screening program after ACTS, a rapid, simplified screening prototype developed by the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. ACTS -- which stands for assess, consent, test and support -- takes no more than five minutes, and can be quickly diffused into healthcare settings. Randomized trials currently under way in South Africa, which has also adopted the program, and the Bronx show ACTS has doubled HIV testing rates.

Previous research has shown patients who are HIV-positive and know their status reduce high-risk sex by 50 percent, Maxwell said. Likewise, people who get screened and test negative may start thinking about it, and engage in behaviors to keep them healthy, Maxwell speculates.

'Either way, it`s a win-win,' she said.

She also anticipates that screening and identifying people with HIV early, before their syndrome progresses into full-blown AIDS, will be a great cost advantage to hospitals and healthcare centers. Those D.C. residents who test positive will be referred to the hospital`s infectious-disease center for secondary testing and follow-up care -- including those without health insurance.

The city government has also spearheaded a campaign to get all residents between the ages of 14 to 84 screened for the virus by Dec. 31, 2006.

'This is absolutely a historic moment,' said Leo Rennie, bureau chief for HIV prevention at the city`s Administration for HIV Policy and Programs. 'This is new and innovative -- we`re ahead of the CDC guidelines.'

The AHPP, led by Marsha Martin, has taken a more vigorous approach to combating HIV/AIDS following a period of relative stagnancy.

Jeanne White Ginder, mother to the late Ryan White, the outspoken teen who died of AIDS in 1990, also spoke about her son`s struggle with discrimination -- still a major barrier to bringing HIV/AIDS out of the shadows and into the public dialogue. The resulting Ryan White Care Act of 1990 remains one of the largest federally funded programs to treat people living with HIV/AIDS.

"People with AIDS need to go on with their daily lives," said White Ginder, who has followed in her son`s footsteps as an AIDS activist. 'As Ryan used to tell me, "Let`s make it a disease, not a dirty word."

The Start of Something Good

Last week a small group of folks got together over at my place to discuss the possibility of a new vision for the Campaign to End AIDS in DC. We talked a about a lot of stuff including school HIV/AIDS programs, HIV/AIDS programs for Women and Children in the District, Stigma, HIV/Meds (and the people who advertise for them), and much more. The common theme however, seemed to be a desire to see a renewed since of civic engagement in the local struggle here in DC. There was a strong desire to see all the diverse communities living with HIV and affected by HIV in this city 100% engaged in all levels of the local fight: in the Community Planning Group, and the DC Public Schools, and the Planning Council, and City Hall, and the voting booth, and much more. I will be posting more about this later in the week, but I'm excited to see we're off to a good start. If you'd like to stay updated on Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC, Please join this yahoo group

Recent DC HIV/AIDS News Clips

Here are some recent news clips from DC: Howard University's Hilltop reports on a Planned Parenthood Media Lunch on HIV/AIDS. The Washington Times reports on their own Citizen's Forum on HIV/AIDS. Channel 9 reports on Magic Johnson's Recent DC Trip. The GW Hatchet discusses HIV Screening at GW Hospital. And last but not least, Housing Works has an article on the recent President's Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS Meeting recently held in DC.

Brave Souls Unplugged

On Monday November 20th 2006, Brave Soul Collective will present it's first production, Brave Souls Unplugged: A Collage in Truth. The evening will consist of a combination of theatre, poetry, and music peformances. Featuring performances by BSC founders Monte J Wolfe & Tim'm T West, along with a host of fellow multi-talented artists. All proceeds from this event will go toward Brave Soul Collective acquiring its 501c 3 (non profit status) before this years end.

Date: Monday November 20th, 2006
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Warehouse Theater, 1021 7th Street NW
Metros: Mt. Vernon Sq/Convention Ctr. or Gallery Pl. METRO Stations

For more information:

Phone: 202 744 8823
Email: monte@bravesoulcollective.org or tim.m@bravesoulcollective.org
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door

Tickets will go on sale for this event Monday October 23rd, 2006. For more information, click here.

Dinner Presentation: bevirimat (PA-457) Phase II Study in DC

Come join us at Ristorante I Ricchi to learn about a new clinical study currently enrolling patients in Washington DC. Panacos Pharmaceuticals will present information about bevirimat (PA-457). They are currently enrolling patients for a Phase II Study of this 'maturation inhibitor'. PA-457 is the first in a new class of antiretrovirals that block HIV-1 replication by disrupting virus maturation. For a more detailed explanation check out this overview on the NATAP website.

I think PA-457 is interesting for a few reasons. One, it potentially could be used by folks who are multi-drug resistant and don't have a lot of treatment options, but it could potentially also be used by folks who are just starting treatment. It also appears to not be antagonistic to other HIV meds, so it potentially could be combined with (or added to) current treatment plans.

The Dinner presentation will be held at Ristorante I Ricchi (1220 19th Street, NW) from 6:00 to 8:00 PM . If you're riding, it's one block from the DuPont Metro South Exit. If you're driving compliementary valet parking is available. You must RSVP for this event. Click Here to Download the Registration Form.

Metro Teen AIDS: Wine Uncorked

Metro Teen AIDS will be holding their annual wine-tasting event at Woolly Mammoth Theater's beautiful new downtown space (641 D Street, NW). The festivities take place from 6 to 8 PM on Tuesday, October 24, 2006.

Join Master Sommelier Pam Seaton of Vino Volo, as she presents (and you taste) some fabulous wines. Tickets can be purchased online at www.metroteenaids.org/wine. Tickets are $50 and benefit Metro Teen AIDS.

FYI, Parking is available across the street from the theater for $10 if you mention Woolly Mammoth, otherwise price is $15. And the closest metro stops are: Archives/Navy Memorial and Gallery Place.

Are You Ready to Volunteer?

Getting involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS has never been easier, thanks to DC CARE Consortium’s volunteer program, SERVE.

SERVE (Strategic Enhancement, Recruitment and Volunteerism Effort) gives you the basic training you need to volunteer with HIV/AIDS organizations and then helps you find the volunteer opportunity that best suits your interests and skills. SERVE welcomes volunteers, 18 or older, from all backgrounds and skill levels. All you need is a positive attitude and a desire to help. To find out more click here

How do you tell your Mom that you're HIV Positive?

How do you tell your mom that you are HIV positive? Well, with a record number of people in DC getting screened for HIV, there are quitely likely a few people who have this question on their minds at this very minute. DC resident Monte Wolfe has some insight into this question, having gone through it himself. He has taken his own experience telling his mother, and turned it into a dramataic monologue. justbthat reports that the piece will be performed in DC in November.

Monte Wolfe is a founder of the Brave Soul Collective. The collective is an education, outreach, and support organization for gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning HIV positive and negative individuals living their lives in truth through the arts. BSC aims to help stop the spread of HIV&AIDS, by serving as a platform for honest discussion about prevention, stigma, and personal responsibility. BSC is committed to encouraging artistic freedom, expression, and creativity in members of the arts, and same gender loving communities.

I will post info about Monte's performance here as soon as it becomes available, in the meantime, be sure to check out The Amazing Brave Soul Collective Website.

A Million Condoms for DC

Today I attended the Washington Times Citizens Forum on HIV/AIDS. (for pictures from the event, see the FightHIVinDC Flickr Page)

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton noted that despite good efforts, we still have the highest HIV infection rate in the country. Norton urged participants to think critically about new approaches and new directions we should take to address the pandemic.

I won't give you a blow-by-blow of the event, because the full text of the forum will be printed in the Washington Times next week. I will mention, though, that the event was moderated Walter Smith of DC Appleseed, and included comments by Barbara Chin of Whitman Walker, Greg Payne of the DC Department of Health, Ann Wise of Metro Teen AIDS, and Jennifer Kates of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

There wasn't a lot of new information or discussion at this event. Hearing the history of Metro Teen AIDS or Whitman Walker is quite interesting if you haven't heard it before. Unfortunately, for most of the people in this small Saturday Morning crowd, that was not the case.

Two things you might not have heard about yet, came from Marsha Martin at the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs:

First, AHPP is planning to purchase and distribute a million condoms in the District. This may be kind of a gimmicky number, but I think it's really good news. When I attended the recent Freedom Plaza Event, I noticed a staff person from the Washington Free Clinic stashing away condoms from exhibitor tables. When I inquired about it, I learned that they've been having a challenging time securing enough condoms for their clients. So ... any effort to make more condoms available to DC resident is greatly appreciated.

Second, Dr. Marsha Martin from AHPP mentioned the possibility of having a BIG town hall style event on HIV/AIDS in the end of January. And by big, she was talking about as many as 5,000 people. I think it's the perfect time to engage the city. By then, we will have a lot of useful information from the HIV screening campaign, and a clearer picture of the epidemic in DC. Also, we'll have a new Mayor and City Council members, so it's a great time to talk about goals and objectives for fighting the epidemic. I hope this idea comes to pass.

DC HIV/AIDS Community Planning Group - Unreasonable Barriers to Participation

UPDATE: THE CPG IS FULLY COMMITTED TO PROCESSING ALL APPLICATIONS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY HAVING NEW CPG MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE DECEMBER MEETING. ALL CPG APPLICANTS HAVE ALSO BEEN CONTACTED SINCE THIS WAS POSTED.

Back in August I encouraged folks to apply to serve on the HIV/AIDS Community Planning Group (CPG). Well at least two of you out there did exactly that, which I find greatly encouraging (Daniel & Zenovia). What I find greatly discouraging though, is that two months have passed and the CPG has not been in contact with the folks who have applied.

So when I found out that there was a CPG meeting last night, I decided to go and find out what was happening. I only found out about the CPG Meeting through a colleague at work. Despite the fact that I've expressed interest in attending, I didn't hear anything about the meeting. And the folks I know who have applied to serve on the CPG didn't hear about the meeting either. (Also, somewhat discouraging).

At the meeting I learned a 'select' group of folks who applied to be on the CPG (the folks they know already know or like), will be interviewed shortly. The folks they don't know will have to wait until February before they hear anything about whether or not they will get an interview.

So with regards to the folks they don't know, it will take the CPG more than six months to process their application. By then, I imagine several of the folks who volunteered will have either lost interest or simply lost confidence in the CPG.

If you're not an 'insider', you have no way of knowing what the CPG is or how you can volunteer (The only place I saw the application deadline posted was right here on our website). And even if you DO figure out how to apply, you have to wait six months before you hear anything from them.

The folks I know who have applied to serve on the CPG haven't heard anything from the CPG about the status of the application, weren't invited to the meeting last night, and don't know what the heck is going on. That's not cool. The CPG has a responsibility to represent the community, and you can't do that if you choose don't communicate with the community. So let me make the following suggestions.

1. Everyone who has expressed an interest in the CPG should be invited to every meeting. These meetings are open to the public, and there is no excuse for not providing this information to interested parties.

2. Taking six months to process an application is unacceptable. The CPG should be able to cut that process down to at least three months. While the applications are pending, CPG applicants should be encouraged to attend meetings, and to volunteer for committees (you don't need to be a member to serve on a committee).

3. CPG Meetings can't truly be open to the public if nobody knows about them. So every CPG meeting should be announced or advertised in some way. I don't care if they send the meeting information to the calendar of local newspapers, or post it on their website, or buy a small ad in the city paper. I don't care how they do it, but the CPG needs to let folks know these meetings are going on.

Going forward I hope to be notified about future CPG meetings, which are generally held the second thursday of the month. And I'll be sure to post information up on this site as I receive it. I also hope the CPG will consider the three suggestions I've listed above.

Today's Microbicide Lunch Forum

Today was the third ACTION Lunch Series. Last month we learned about Therapeutic HIV Vaccine Research (for HIV Positive Folks). In August we learned about Prevention HIV Vaccine Research (for HIV Negative Folks). Today, we learned all about HIV Microbicide Research. Anna Forbes, from the Global Campaign for Microbicides, did a great job covering the topic. If you didn't get a chance to join us today, you can learn more at the Global Campaign website.

The DC CARE Consortium has endorsed the Global Campaign for Microbicides. The Capital Area Vaccine Effort has also signed on as a co-sponsor. If you are involved in an HIV/AIDS organization in DC, consider asking them to join the campaign. click here to find out more.

And be sure to join us next month for the ACTION Lunch Presentation on Metabolic Conditions in People Living with HIV.

Pictured left are Melissa Turner, Anna Forbes, Anna Ford, and Jui Shah at the forum. I also posted pic on the FightHIVinDC Flickr Page.

Washington Times Forum on HIV/AIDS in DC

The Washington Times will host it's 8th Citizen's Forum on Saturday October 14th. The forum will focus on HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia. The forum begins at 9:00 AM and takes place at at the main offices of The Washington Times, 3600 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC.

The website does not give a lot of details about the event, but I spoke with the organizer Brian Bauman and he mentioned several folks who will be speaking at the forum including: Dr. Greg Payne, DC Department of Health; Jennifer Kates, Kaiser Family Foundation; Walter Smith, DC Appleseed; and Ann Wiseman Metro Teen AIDS.

Washington DC Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS

On Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17, the Mayor’s Task Force on HIV and AIDS will be hosting the thirty-first meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS (PACHA). The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS provides advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services regarding programs and policies intended to promote effective prevention of HIV disease, and to advance research on HIV disease and AIDS.

The meeting will be held at Howard University, Blackburn Conference Center, West Ballroom. Dr. Marsha Martin, DC Administration for HIV Policy & Programs, writes "The Task Force is pleased to host this meeting and engage PACHA with our local community. It is our hope that PACHA members will come away from the meeting with an understanding of the successful programs and organizations that work on behalf of people living with HIV in our city and of the coordinated response to HIV in the nation’s capital."

To download a draft of the meeting agenda as a PDF file, click here.

Food and Friends Crate and Barrel Event

On Wednesday, December 6th, join Food and Friends for their Crate and Barrel In-Store Event. Crate and Barrel will close its doors to the public, and stay open from 7:00 - 9:30pm for this exclusive event. As our guest, you will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants, exciting raffle prizes and the chance to shop at Crate and Barrel while benefiting a great cause. Shop A lot because 10% of the evening’s sales will be donated directly to Food & Friends.

Established in 1988, Food & Friends was founded to provide home-delivered meals and friendship to people living with HIV/AIDS. These services remain at the core of their mission: caring for people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by providing home-delivered, freshly-prepared meals, groceries and nutrition counseling.

The in-store event will take place at Crate and Barrel’s Spring Valley location (4820 Massachusettes Ave, NW) and is hosted, for the 12th year, by long-time friend of Food & Friends, Dr. Jeffrey L. Kraskin. Tickets are available for $35. Find out more at www.foodandfriends.org.

DC Students: Take the LifeBeat Challenge

Take the Macy's(R) LIFEbeat Challenge and you (and 10 friends!) could win a private performance by Teddy Geiger. Macy's and LIFEbeat - the music industry's charitable organization dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention - are challenging high school and college students to come up with creative, original ideas to raise awareness and dollars in support of HIV/AIDS prevention. Submit ideas online at www.thisit.com or www.lifebeat.org by October 15, 2006 for your chance to win. The winner will be selected based on creativity and fundraising/awareness-raising potential and announced on World AIDS Day on December 1st.

AIDS Walk DC 2006

Kudos to everyone who participated in the AIDS Walk, and especially to the three Grand Marshalls: Larry Bryant, Danielle Pleasant, and Daniel Zaic. There's a good story about the Walk in today's Washington Post. There are also articles on the ABC 7 website, and on the Washington Blade website. And, if you didn't get a chance to walk today, consider participating in the Walk for the Homeless. A number of HIV/AIDS organizations benefit from the Walk for the Homeless including Damien Ministries, RIGHT Inc, and Building Futures. Of course you can always support me in the Walk for the Homeless. I will be walking for the DC CARE Consortium.

Sometimes I Cry

Atlas Performing Arts Center, Lang Theater, 1333 H Street NE. Written and performed by Sheryl Lee Ralph, this production presents a wonderful opportunity to educate the public, especially young African-American women, about taking stock of their lives and moving forward in a healthy way in the face of HIV/AIDS. Proceeds will be donated to Us Helping Us and Damien Ministries; matinee price is $35, evening performance $55, includes VIP reception, meet and greet with Ms. Ralph. For more info, contact DC Black Pride.

PreventionWorks DC

Since 1998 PreventionWorks has provided needle exchange and other harm reduction services in the District of Columbia. The mission of PreventionWorks is to curb the spread of HIV and other blood-borne diseases among injecting and other drug users, their sexual partners, and newborn children.

PreventionWorks' needle exchange service operates on private donations. The District is the only city in the nation barred by federal law from investing its own locally raised dollars to provide needle exchange. This is despite scientific research proving needle exchange reduces the transmission of blood-borne viruses. in fact, needle exchange programs in other major cities, like Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are all supported by state and/or local government dollars.

Effectiveness of Needle Exchange

Scientific research on needle exchange shows:

• Needle exchange programs reduce HIV and Hepatitis transmission;
• Needle exchange programs do not encourage the use of illegal drugs; and
• Needle exchange programs provide an effective means of getting drug users into drug treatment.

Since December 1998 PreventionWorks has properly disposed of over 2 million contaminated needles and syringes.

Services

PreventionWorks believes everyone deserves the right to be treated with respect and dignity. When provided with compassionate support and adequate resources, individuals are then empowered to make healthy decisions.

PreventionWorks offer the following free harm reduction services.

• HIV Counseling and Testing
• Drug Treatment and Referrals
• HIV and STI Prevention Education
• Safer Sex Material Distribution
• Needle Exchange
• Viral Hepatitis Education
• Food and Clothing Distribution
• Overdose Prevention
• Support Groups

PreventionWorks' services are based on a harm reduction model. Harm reduction is a way to improve and save lives by providing support for positive change in a respectful and nonjudgemental environment.

For more information visit www.preventionworksdc.org.

Meet Magic Johnson Next Wednesday Night

Earvin "Magic" Johnson will be appearing at the Metropolitan Baptist Church on Wednesday October 12th, starting at 5:00 PM. The Metropolitan Baptist Church is located at 1225 R Street, NW. Call (866) 462 5485 to RSVP and get more information. Entry and seating are first come, first serve, so you may want to arrive early to secure a good seat.

This event is sponsored sponsored by Abbott, so in addition to getting a chance to hear from Magic Johnson, you can also expect a presentation and information packet from this Pharmaceutical Company.

Calling all HIV/AIDS Outreach Workers

SOUND (Strategies for Outreatch, Unification, Networking, and Development) holds their next meeting Wednesday, October 11th at the DC CARE Consortium (1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500). The meeting takes place from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Lunch is provided.

SOUND is a network of HIV/AIDS Outreach workers and other HIV/AIDS service providers from HIV/AIDS service organizations all across the Metro DC Area. If you work for an HIV/AIDS organization, it's a great opportunity to meet and network with folks from other organizations, and to discuss common concerns.

For more information, or to volunteer, contact Terry Handy at (202) 223-9550 extension 18 or by email.

Panel Discussion on CDC Testing Guidelines

Yesterday the Kaiser Foundation held a panel discussion on the new CDC HIV Testing Guidelines in Health Care Settings. Pictured on the left are two of the panelists: Frank J. Oldham Jr, Executive Director, National Association of People with AIDS; and Dr. Marsha Martin, Senior Deputy Director, Administration for HIV/AIDS Policy and Programs, DC Department of Health. (two pictures from the event are up on the FightHIVinDC Flickr Stream.

The new recommendations for HIV testing in Health Care Settings are pretty long. You can read the whole thing on the CDC website. A few of the key points from the recommendations:

• HIV screening is recommended for patients in all health-care settings after the patient is notified that testing will be performed unless the patient declines (opt-out screening).
• Persons at high risk for HIV infection should be screened for HIV at least annually.
• Separate written consent for HIV testing should not be required; general consent for medical care should be considered sufficient to encompass consent for HIV testing.
• Prevention counseling should not be required with HIV diagnostic testing or as part of HIV screening programs in health-care settings.

It appears that this opt-out testing approach would significantly increase the number of folks who are tested for HIV nationwide in comparison to the out-in testing most currently used. It also seems to be more align with the changing epidemic. In one Kaiser Foundation Poll, 65% of those polled agreed that "HIV testing should be treated just like routine screening for any other disease, and should be included as part of regular check-ups and exams.

The new recommendations are very much in alignment with Washington DC's "Come Together DC: Get Screened for HIV" campaign. Dr. Marsha Martin from the Administration for HIV/AIDS Policy and Programs spoke about the success of the campaign.

Some community concerns still persist however. There are three I would like to highlight.

1. If these new testing recommendations succeed in identifying HIV positive individuals in the United States, we simply don't have the money and capacity at present time to treat them. This is not as much of a problem for Washington DC, but it is clearly a concern for states that ALREADY have folks on waiting lists for their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. Internationally with the PEPFAR, increased testing is tied to increased treatment availability. It would be great to see that happen here.

2. When done correctly, Prevention Counseling during HIV testing works and succeeds in reducing risk behaviors and HIV transmission, so why are we dropping it? Bernard Branson from the CDC stated during the event that since most of the time it isn't done correctly, and most of the time it doesn't work. I don't buy that argument completely. After all condoms are not all that effective when used incorrectly and improperly, but I don't hear the CDC saying - let's give up on condoms, eh?

3. Finding out you're HIV positive is still fundamentally different from finding out you have diabetes. HIV/AIDS related prejudice, stigma, and discrimination is still alive and well in many communities. Getting rid of a separate informed consent and switching to opt-out instead of opt-in is a slippery road that means it's more likely that in some settings, folks will sign paperwork and get an HIV test without realizing it. Finding out your're HIV positive can be a pretty overwhelming experience. Nobody should be given the test without their consent. These recommendations state that explicitly, but they also elminiate some of the assurances we've had in the past two make sure that doesn't happen.

All in all though, I think it's a good thing. I think the message that everyone needs to get screened for HIV is accurate and positive, and will mean more people get tested, and more HIV positive individuals are identified early when treatment has the biggest impact.

There's an interesting article about the forum here

DC Black Men's Health Study

Will Smith is conducting a study that could expand our knowledge of Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and their risk for HIV . This survey explores the life experiences of Black MSM and how those experiences may be connected to risk behaviors. If you are eligible to participate in this study, I encourage you to take a few moments to do so. If you are not eligible, please consider forwarding this message to a friend or loved one who may be.

The survey can be completed online at:
http://bmh-study.com

Wide Reaching AIDS Partnership Community Advisory Board

The following was written by Joseph Hall, a member of the Wide Reaching AIDS Partnership Community Advisory Board.

In March of 2002, I was a newly arrived transplant from Miami, Florida, when, after a follow-up examination at the Washington DC Veteran Administration Hospital, I was approached and asked if I might be interested in attending a meeting of the hospital’s Community Advisory Board (CAB). This CAB, I was told was attached to the hospital’s Infectious Diseases Clinic and is known by the acronym WRAP, standing for the Wide-Reaching AIDS Partnership. Later, I was asked to become a member of that CAB, and have been one since. I am now the community representative to the international HIV/AIDS research network of which it is a part.

WRAP is one of over 100 CABs associated with units and sites that are part of a clinical research network called the CPCRA, which stands for Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS. CPCRA HIV/AIDS research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) department of AIDS, known by the acronym DAIDS. Comprehensive information about the CPCRA, including its history and membership, as well as completed and ongoing research trials can be found online at www.cpcra.org.

Each CPCRA unit is required to have a CAB. Community members with an interest in research or an interest in the AIDS pandemic are identified and recruited to become a member of the CPCRA CAB in their area. Generally the community member’s role on the CAB is to hear and learn about ongoing, future and potential clinical trials; ask questions, relay the research concerns of their community to the research investigators and share information they learn at these CAB meeting with their community.

The Wide Reaching AIDS Partnership (WRAP) Community Advisory Board (CAB) meets at least four times a year on a Monday, between Noon and 2:00 PM at the VA Medical Center. WRAP is one of several HIV/AIDS related CABs in the Washington Area. What makes it unique is the network of which it is a part: the CPCRA.

The CPCRA was created to do two things considered lacking in the HIV/AIDS clinical trials arena before its creation. It was designed to conduct long-term HIV/AIDS therapeutic treatment clinical trials, trials lasting as long as four, six, and eight years. Early in the AIDS pandemic, HIV/AIDS therapeutic trials tended to be shorter, as they were designed to provide rapid answers to save the lives of people whose chances of longer-term survival after an HIV diagnosis were extremely poor. The CPCRA was also created and organized to encourage the enrollment of more women, people of color, and injection drug users into HIV trials. In other words, the change or maturation of the pandemic created the need for the CPCRA.

Currently the CPCRA units are awaiting the results from NIH/DAIDS on its application for the next six-year funding cycle, which commences as of October 2006. This CPCRA and its CABs will most likely look and operate differently than it has during the prior funding cycle. The face of AIDS, the world’s and this country’s concerns with regards to the AIDS pandemic continues to evolve. How to address those changes and remain relevant are the primary issues confronting our CABs today.

DC YRBS Advisory Board Meeting October 17th

The DC Public Schools Youth Risk Behavior Survey Advisory Committee will be meeting on October 17th . The Committee meets 1:00 to 3:00 PM in Room 9126 at 825 North Capitol Street, NE. This Advisory Board provides input on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

The YRBS is a survey of high school and middle school students conducted every two years, which collects valuable information about health-risk behaviors among youth including those that would put young people at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and unintended pregnancy.

The next Youth Risk Behavior Survey will be conducted in Spring 2007. So this is an important opportunity to give input to what data is collected. If we fail to ask the right questions, we will not get the full picture of what is happening with DC Youth and their risk behaviors for HIV/AIDS. For example, we do not currently ask a question about sexual orientation on the survey, so our understanding of young gay men and their risk for HIV in the district is incomplete.

I will be at this meeting and I hope you'll join me. If you have any questions about the meeting, please contact the DC Public Schools HIV-AIDS Education Program at at (202) 442-7860.