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The
programs listed below are a few specific educational and informational
efforts currently underway to support these:
-
Schools:
We present a diverse HIV/AIDS curriculum to students in Mobile
county schools, as well as schools within the surrounding
counties. Unfortunately, we have had to scale back the number of
presentations in the schools, due to Alabama state budget
constraints that funded this effort. In 2003, we reached over
5,000 students.
-
Positive
Perspectives: This program is designed for the
clients and is an attempt to provide them with additional
education, specific to the disease and their lives. In conjunction
with Client Services and Volunteer Services, the topics range from
nutrition and self-massage to drug reaction and new trials
underway.
-
New
Theory Based Intervention:
Young gay and bisexual men are engaging in high rates of unsafe
sex. Studies have found that 33-43% of young gay men report
high-risk behaviors. Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) represent
47.1 percent of the AIDS population and 20.3 percent of the HIV
population in Mobile County. CARES will replicate a group level
HIV prevention intervention that has been proven to be effective
based on the diffusion of innovations theory targeting MSM with
the goal of creating a process by which young gay men in Mobile
County, Alabama communicate with each other about and encourage
each other to reduce behaviors that place them at risk of
contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
-
Youth
Advisory Council (YAC): Teens from area high schools meet
weekly in the office. This time allows them to increase their
personal knowledge of the epidemic, offer the staff feedback on
their concerns related to HIV/AIDS prevention and advise the
education department on ways to more effectively raise awareness
and encourage understanding of HIV/AIDS related issues. Teens who
serve on the council are provided with ongoing education on
HIV/AIDS issues and work to improve their peer education skills.
They also volunteer, on an as available basis at events and with
individual effort related to office and client needs.
The 1997 YAC planned and raised funds to build the H. Sewell
Goleman AIDS Memorial Garden on the grounds of CARES. They
dedicated the memorial in late August 1997 and named it for one of
the founders of YAC. This permanent memorial is the first of its
kind in the state of Alabama. Memorial bricks are available for
sale to be placed in the garden to commemorate loved ones.
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