Coordinated Community Response

Notes from February Brown Bag Lunch

Last week at the February Brown Bag Lunch, we learned about the 1917 (HIV/AIDS) Outpatient Clinic from Kelly Ross-Davis, the Education Director/Program Manager for the UAB Center for AIDS Research and the 1917 Clinic. In her role in HIV Prevention and Volunteer Services, she directs SHAPE (Sexual Health and Awareness through Peer Education), a college peer educator outreach project; provides HIV Testing and Counseling and oversees the Testing Team; coordinates education for 1917 Clinic staff; and advises the clinics Patient Advisory Board.

The 1917 Clinic opened in 1988 in response to a growing number of local residents diagnosed with HIV, and in part because of a recognition that people who had moved away from Alabama were being diagnosed with HIV and then returning home to Alabama during their illness. The Clinic was set up as a one-stop shop where persons living with HIV could receive as many services in a single place from specialists who knew how to make the patients feel comfortable and cared for.

Today, AIDS is a more chronic, manageable disease. Birthdays are something to be celebrated, and the clinic emphasizes this with monthly birthday celebrations for patients and staff.

In the past, HIV/AIDS clients have felt rejected by the healthcare system. One patient interviewed in an informational DVD produced for the Clinic by UAB students described a negative experience with hospital food service delivery when he was hospitalized years ago. The delivery staff refused to bring his tray into the hospital room, so he was constantly receiving cold food. A nurse had to intervene, and it became clear that training was necessary across the spectrum of patient care.

Relying heavily on volunteers, the staff at the 1917 Clinic focuses on connecting patients living with HIV to medical care, providing medical care to patients, and educating the community on prevention and the importance of HIV testing. Approximately 75% of the Clinics patients are male and 25% are female.

During the screening process, patients are asked whether they have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence, and for some it is the first time they have ever been asked that question. While patient services may begin with HIV testing, holistic care provided by the Clinic shifts to supporting patients affected by a variety of issues. Teaching about healthy relationships and making referrals to local agencies for support is included in the care provided to patients. Clinic personnel have observed that it is particularly difficult for men to report when they have been the victims of sexual assault or domestic violence. Often it does not seem appropriate for the Clinic to refer male victims to more mainstream service providers. There is a need to create a safe place for men in the community to address their experiences as victims and receive support.

Prevention efforts coordinated through the clinic include the SHAPE Program that trains students to provide sexual health workshops and outreach for youth and young adults. College (Peer) Educators are trained in prevention education about pregnancy, STIs, and HIV/AIDS. The peer workshops emphasize healthy sexual decision making and prevention of HIV. Caroline May, a SHAPE educator who is a senior at Samford University, shared about her experience leading two recent workshops for teenagers. Becoming a peer educator has been a meaningful experience for her, as she recognizes the need for this training and the lack of attention directed to appropriate and healthy conversations with at-risk youth. If you are interested in becoming a SHAPE Educator, or would like to schedule a workshop/presentation, contact Kelly Ross-Davis at KRD@uab.edu or call 205-934-9253.

*Next Brown Bag Lunch Meeting: Monday, March 22nd

Noon - Gateway on Southside

 

 

The Jefferson County Family Violence Coordinated Community Response (CCR) is a coalition of local agencies, courts, and organizations committed to ensuring the safety of domestic violence victims, consistently holding perpetrators accountable for violence, and changing the climate in the community to reduce family violence.  CCR's primary program objective is to establish effective, complementary policies dealing with victim safety and offender accountability in local courts and agencies. CCR partners include the Children's Policy Cooperative of Jefferson County, The YWCA of Central Alabama, The Women's Fund of Greater Birmingham, Gateway, Jefferson County Family Court (Birmingham and Bessemer Divisions) , the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADV), Legal Aid Society, the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA).


For more information about the Coordinated Community Response, please contact Allison Dearing at (205) 492-7304 or jeffcoccr@gmail.com.  You can also find us on Facebook: 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Birmingham-AL/Jefferson-County-Family-Violence-Coordinated-Community-Response-CCR/64474345950?ref=ts