By BTL Staff
DETROIT – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Community Health Awareness Group (CHAG) has been awarded a cooperative agreement to implement comprehensive high-impact HIV prevention projects for community-based organizations. The total amount funded over five years will be approximately $3.8 million.
CHAG will provide HIV prevention services for members of racial/ethnic minority communities. These services will focus on those at greatest risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV infection, syphilis and hepatitis B and C. In partnership with Teen HYPE and LGBT Detroit, African-American men having sex with men (MSMs) and high risk heterosexuals will be targeted, with a focus on youth 15-24.
"CHAG, LGBT Detroit and Teen HYPE all serve those at risk or infected with HIV in different ways, so coming together to utilize our individual strengths jointly is a natural fit. This collaborative project will transform the delivery of HIV prevention services for the African-American community, providing resources and support to improve the health of those most impacted by HIV," said CHAG CEO, Cindy Bolden Calhoun. "The program aligns with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy which has at its core the unifying vision that 'the United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.'"
Using CDC approved prevention interventions, the project will identify HIV positive people earlier, get them into care sooner and keep them in care to help them live healthier lives and further reduce the spread of the disease. The goal is to have more HIV, syphilis and hepatitis testing, with more infected individuals becoming aware of their status. Ultimately, more HIV positive individuals will receive HIV medical care, medication assistance, behavioral prevention interventions and essential support services. In addition, HIV negative persons will become more aware of their risk and more of them will obtain prevention interventions and essential support services, including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
The program is built around formalized collaborations with HIV primary care clinics and community based organizations providing substance abuse treatment, mental health services, housing and other essential support services necessary to stabilize and maintain HIV positive individuals in HIV medical care. It also includes program promotion, outreach and recruitment utilizing social network strategies, targeted outreach and enhanced social media along with targeted HIV testing using rapid testing technologies along with comprehensive HIV prevention with HIV positive persons and high risk negatives.
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Founded in 1985, Community Health Awareness Group is a leader in HIV prevention and care services. Learn more at http://www.chagdetroit.org
Now 10 years old, Teen HYPE (Helping Youth by Providing Education) is a movement to empower the next generation of leaders. Learn more at http://www.teenhype.org
Founded in 1994, LGBT Detroit's areas of focus includes health, education, employment and social justice. Learn more at http://www.lgbtdetroit.org
