A EMERGENCY PLAN TO WIN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY!
President Barack Obama has ushered in a new era in America , one of great hope for people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Several pieces of HIV legislation have been introduced across America . Now, we need to combine these initiatives and new ideas into a national, comprehensive, coordinated HIV Emergency Plan of Action . The following action plan is an attempt to present a national response to the HIV and AIDS health crisis.
#1 A NATIONAL HIV PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT
Let’s be perfectly clear, the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared HIV in Black communities a health crisis for at least a decade. Last year the CDC revealed that HIV in America is much worse than previously thought and in some Black communities in America , HIV is worse than in Africa . Enough. The time is now, in this defining moment, to win the fight against HIV in the black community. We think the President should convene the 1st comprehensive Coordinated HIV Education and Prevention Summit at the White House. In a major speech at the summit, the President should declare an HIV Public Health Emergency in the Black community. The ‘ Summit ’ would bring together political and religious leaders, AIDS activists, health professionals and HIV Prevention workers from across the country.
#2 HIV EDUCATION 2009 – THE NEW SAFE SEX MESSAGE
Sex education and condom distribution in the United States has failed among Black and Latino people. Many epidemiologists and public health experts agree. It is often ineffective or just insufficient. As a result, the rates of HIV among Blacks is rising higher every year. Fortunately, the Obama Administration has launch this year a new program called 'Act Against AIDS'. It is a 5-year, multi-faceted communication campaign that is being planned and released in phases. The initial phase of the Act Against AIDS campaign will be called Nine and a Half Minutes based on the fact that every 9 1/2 minutes, another person in the United States becomes infected with HIV. The campaign will raise awareness of the severity of the domestic epidemic and includes a series of video, audio, and print materials. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) is implementing the Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI)., a five-year partnership with 14 of the nation’s leading organizations serving the African American community. The National Urban League, 100 Black men, 100 Black Women, and other national political organizations are partners. We think grass root, community based organizations, small health clinics, and Black owned internet outlets should be allowed to get involved too.
The Black AIDS Institute's National HIV Test campaign aims to get 1 million people tested for HIV this year. We think the President should use the White House to promote the National HIV Test Day. Moreover, we think it should be expanded by encouraging celebrities and political leaders to take an HIV test at public events during HIV Test days in major urban cities. It would be a great start at HIV prevention in Black communities but we must also take a new, fresh look at sex education among Black teenagers.
We think that ‘abstinence’ until marriage is HIV prevention for teenagers that works! However, abstinence-only sex education programs have provided students with incomplete, medically inaccurate information that focused solely on abstinence and provided little or no information about safe sex and condoms .The reality is that many teens are not abstaining from sex. We need Abstinence programs targeting Black teenagers in homes, schools, and churches that include culturally and age appropriate information to teens about safe sex too.
We think the 'Black Entertainment Network (BET) has the premier HIV Education and Prevention media campaign in the Country. WRAP IT UP is a great model for a targeted HIV media campaign. ‘We have the ‘Wrap It Up’ campaign, in which we focus on testing for and the Prevention of HIV and AIDS,’ says Debra Lee, President and CEO of BET. We think President Obama should partnership with BET's initiative and double down on its campaign.
The Columbia University School of Social Work (CUSSW, )Dr. El-Bassel and the Social Intervention Group (SIG) will implement Multimedia WORTH (Women on the Road to Health).
WORTH is an online, interactive version of a drug use and HIV/STD prevention intervention among 420 drug-involved female offenders in a large Alternative-to-Incarceration Probation Program in New York City. This 4-session, gender specific program aims to increase condom use and decrease the incidence of sexually transmitted infections among this population. Lets coordinate programs like this from the White House in Federal and State prisons.
Another refreshing idea Health official 'are using teenagers favorite technology, the cell phone, to provide sex education including HIV and STDs. The 'Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina', located in Durham , is a model worth copying. Experts say, intimate, private, and crucial information is delivered to teenagers on there cell phones. Programs allow young people to text a number, select from a menu of frequently asked questions and receive automated replies with addresses of free clinics. The 'Birds and Bees text line, which the center started Feb. 1st, directing its Myspace ads and fliers at North Carolinians ages 14 to 18 is among the latest efforts by health officials to reach teenagers through technology. Lets expand this effort in Inner Cities across America.
#3 MADATORY HIV TESTING IN ALL HEALTH FACILITIES AND VOLUNTARY HIV TESTING IN A GOVERNMENT SPORSNORED NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY .
Almost 250,000 Americans are HIV positive but unaware of their status. Many may unknowingly be transmitting HIV to others. Public health experts and frontline clinicians agree 'that broad, routine screening is the key to getting a handle on HIV in Black communities. As it stands now, doctors and nurses have to jump through 'hoops' before administering a simple blood test for HIV.As long as Black people believe that only a particular segment of the population are at risk for HIV i.e. gay men and IV drug users, people unknowingly infected will continue to spread HIV. New York State has a very good piece of legislation that requires a HIV test to be taken in all medical facilities. However, in a health crisis or epidemic, like HIV, some emergency responses must be undertaken that will temporarily trump other concerns . We think national legislation that makes it mandatory that people entering a health care facility must have a comprehensive health screen which includes cancer, heart, STD, and HIV test.
#4 STOP HIV IN PRISON
AIDS is spreading in prison. In 2005, the Department of Justice reported that the role of confirmed AIDS cases in prisons was three times higher than in the general populations. We think condoms must be distributed in prison. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, representative of California ’s 35th Congressional District introduced the ‘Stop AIDS In Prison Act of 2009. The Act ‘will help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS among prison inmates, encourage them to take personal responsibility for their health and reduce the risk that they will transmit HIV to other people in the community following their release from prison, “ said Cong. Waters. We think mandatory HIV testing is required for all people entering and leaving the Criminal Justice system. i.e. pre trial detention facilities and prisons.
#5 EXPAND COMPREHENSIVE HARM REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS
Addiction and HIV are the twin diseases. We think there is a need to address the intersection of the twin epidemics of HIV and drug and alcohol addiction. HIV outreach and Harm Reduction efforts as a means of reducing the spread of HIV in poor Black communities should be expanded throughout the country. The best treatment programs offer their clients HIV testing and counseling and referral to other services. Indeed, Drug abuse treatment is HIV prevention.
The 'BLACK AND LATINO AIDS COALITION' of New York (Blac NY) is a coalition of people infected and/or affected by HIV and AIDS.
BLAC's vision is twofold:
(1) To provide culturally sensitive online alternative information about HIV Testing, HIV, and AIDS for people who want to make intelligent choices about their wellness.
(2) To train 'Cyber Wellness Educators' to provide outreach to online peers about HIV Tests, HIV, and Wellness.
