HIV Prevention
HIV/STD/Communicable Disease
Presentations on HIV, STDs and a variety of communicable diseases (including Hepatitis and tuberculosis) are provided to youth, parents, teachers and other community members. Topics covered include incidence and prevalence, prevention strategies, transmission and signs and symptoms of infection. Presentations are age-appropriate and can be tailored to meet the needs of specific populations.
HIV Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) Project
This project is a prevention/early intervention program targeting individuals who currently abuse substances or have a substance abuse history. Services are provided to clients in substance abuse treatment programs. Program staff conducts educational presentations on HIV, sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis; distributes written information and disseminates condoms and other latex barriers to help reduce clients’ risk of contracting and transmitting HIV and other infections. Most presentations are approximately one hour in length and provide information on incidence and prevalence, transmission, risk factors for infection and prevention and risk reduction strategies.
HIV Provider Education Project
Trainings are provided for health care providers and health profession students to increase their ability to discuss HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other sexual health topics with patients. Trainings include:
Achieving the Comfort and Competence to Discuss You Patients’ Sexual Health
This two hour training is targeted to nursing students, medical students, residents and physician assistant students. Information is provided on: the importance of discussing sexual health with patients, the barriers to discussion, the impact of HIV and STIs on patients’ health and techniques to facilitate sexual health discussion.
New Responses to Old Infections: HIV and STIs in 2006
This full day training is targeted to nurses and nurse practitioners. As a result of the training, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the most recent information on HIV and STIs
- Describe appropriate ways to inform patients they have an STI
- Explain the basics of HIV testing and treatment
- Demonstrate risk assessment and risk reduction counseling techniques to use with clients
- Explain providers’ barriers to initiating and discussing patients’ sexual health
- Discuss strategies to address these barriers
Prevention with Positives: Sharing the Responsibility
This full day training is provided for nurses and nurse practitioners. As a result of the training, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the CDC’s recommendations for incorporating HIV prevention into the medical care of persons living with HIV
- Recognize the unique HIV and STI prevention needs and concerns of HIV positive patients
- Demonstrate effective techniques for accessing substance use and discussing harm reduction strategies with HIV positive patients
- Describe barriers to discussing sexual health with HIV positive patients
- Describe strategies patients can use to initiate discussion about sexual health with new or existing partners
- List local HIV and STI prevention programs and resources
