HIV/AIDS Activities
PDF Files Require Acrobat Reader | DownloadThe Arkansas Minority Health Commission, in partnership with the Arkansas Minority HIV/AIDS Task Force has organized the HIV Prevention Coalition. The Coalition collaborated with various agencies across Arkansas to include faith-based, community-based, and AID Service organizations. The goal of this Coalition is to foster primary prevention activities in the State of Arkansas targeting high-risk population who are not infected with HIV. These groups include African-American women, youth, and the Hispanic population. Although these communities are our primary focus, our efforts are not limited to these groups. In December 2008, the Coalition organized activities in conjunction with World AIDS Day, which focused on the primary target populations.
Arkansas HIV/AIDS Minority Task Force
Act 842 of 2007
Executive Summary
House Bill 2615, sponsored by State Representative Willie Hardy, now Act 842 of 2007, created the Arkansas HIV/AIDS Minority Task Force. On January 9, 2008, Governor Mike Beebe appointed seventeen individuals from across the state of Arkansas, all actively involved in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, to serve on the Task Force.
The Task Force, which holds monthly meetings, held its first meeting on March 10, 2008. During the months that followed, the Task Force heard presentations from a broad cross-section of individuals on the HIV/AIDS pandemic that has increasingly concentrated communities of color. The Task Force worked with five subcommittees to address the issues related to the continued rise of this dreaded disease and, conducted a series of public forums in all four (4) Congressional Districts collecting data, recommendations and comments from minority populations infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
This Task Force’s Final Report is timely in that it is being submitted three months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed startling new evidence regarding the HIV/AIDS pandemic in America. In August 2008, the CDC released information that there were over 56,000 new HIV infections in the United States in 2006. That number, based on new surveillance methods, was 40% higher than prior estimates. Women, African Americans and Hispanics continue to experience a disproportionate burden of this infection.
Since 1983, over 7,000 Arkansans have been diagnosed with HIV, 352 in 2007 alone. Arkansas has kept the pace with the national trend of HIV/AIDS and its ever increasing spread in minority communities. For example, the population of Arkansas is approximately 16% African American; however, 38% (AIDS) and 41% (HIV) of the total cumulative cases from 1989-2006 are African American
Act 842 of 2007 required specific recommendations for the Task Force to address. Within each of these required recommendations, the report provides and details additional recommendations, approaches, rationales and solutions for each.
Executive Summary and Taskforce Final Report - PDF
| Member of the HIV/AIDS Taskforce: | ||
| Name | Term Limit Expires |
Category |
| Rick Collins (Chairman) | 2011 |
Minority Community Based Advocacy or Service Provider |
| Dr. Michelle Smith (Co-Chair) | 2010 |
Minority Based Treatment |
| Johnny Adams | 2010 |
Hispanic Affected by HIV/Aids |
| Rueben Arana | 2010 |
Minority Community Based Advocacy or Service Provider |
| Carol Davis | 2010 |
Rural Health Dept w/high incidence |
| Chinetta Davis | 2012 |
AR Community Planning Group |
| (Vacant) | 2010 |
Other Affected by HIV/Aids |
| Sharen Lightsey | 2011 |
Faith Based Organization |
| Sylvana Niciteretse | 2011 |
African American Living w/HIV/Aids |
| Dr. Barbara Perry | 2012 |
AMDPA |
| (Vacant) | 2011 |
Minority Community Based Advocacy or Service Provider |
| Lupita Roy-Rasheed | 2012 |
Faith Based Organization |
| Vickie Gibbs-Scott | 2012 |
Dept. Of Health/HIV Division |
| Dr. Katherine Stewart | 2010 |
UAMS COPH |
| Jena Thomason | 2012 |
Hospice |
| Dr. Wallace "Al" Thomas | 2011 |
Medical Insurance Industry |
| Suzann Wilson | 2012 |
Nursing Home |
| Sue Worsham | 2012 |
Woman Affected by HIV/Aids |
| (Vacant) | 2013 |
Arkansas Minority Health Commission |
| Arkansas Minority Health Commission Technical/Administrative Support- Siobhan Traylor, Document Examiner II | ||
HIV/AIDS Outreach Initiative Grants
< archives
ADH/AMHC 2010 HIV Prevention Project RFA Letter of Intent Deadline Extended!!!!
AMHC/ADH JOINT HIV RFA GRANT WORKSHOP
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
1:00p-5:00p
Little Rock Hilton Hotel Conference Center
TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS CLICK
HERE
The Arkansas Minority Health Commission and the Arkansas Department of Health are partnering to Eliminate Health Disparities in HIV/AIDS by increasing awareness and testing to ultimately improve the health of all Arkansans. The joint effort has garnered 41 letters of intent from potential applicants! NOW THAT’S EXCITING!!. The deadline to submit a letter of intent has been extended. If your nonprofit agency is still interested in applying, it is not too late!! You may submit your letter of intent now through October 7th. However,
Applications Must STILL Be Submitted
No Later Than 4:30 P.M.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Get the Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2010 HIV Prevention Project at: http://www.state.ar.us/dfa/procurement/bids/bid_info.php?bid_number=DH-09-1009
The purpose of this grant is to reduce new HIV infections in Arkansas. The funding period is January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010. This Request for Applications (RFA) represents a unique and novel collaborative effort by the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Minority Health Commission to foster a statewide coordinated effort to more effectively combat HIV/AIDS in Arkansas. This effort combines the strengths of the individual organizations to reach those most at risk for HIV/AIDS infection. We collectively believe that this effort will lead to an increased statewide response to this epidemic and ultimately lead to fewer Arkansans contracting HIV/AIDS, better health care and quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS.
The 2010 HIV Prevention Project will focus on three areas:
- HIV Testing and Counseling
- Prevention for Positives
- Prevention based on current modes of transmission
There will be a total of $600,000 ($350,000 from ADH and $250,000 from AMHC) available for
funding from the Grantors for 12-month grants/sub-grants beginning January 1, 2010, and ending December 31, 2010.
Deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2009
RFA HIV/AIDS Prevention Project - PDF
HIV Prevention RFA Workshop Questions and Answers - PDF
HIV Prevention RFA Written Questions and Answers - PDF
ARKANSAS MINORITY HEALTH COMMISSION ANNOUNCES SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS AS GRANT RECIPIENTS FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) announces the seven organizations awarded $340,419 in grants to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS in minority communities in Arkansas.
“Our goal is to strengthen organizations across the state by building their capacity to implement HIV prevention and awareness programs,” said Patricia Minor, RN Project Manager for the HIV/AIDS Outreach Initiative for the AMHC. African Americans make up only16% of the total population, however, in 2006 African Americans made up 47.1% of the HIV cases in Arkansas. Hispanics demonstrated an increase of 5.3% of HIV cases. Females made up approximately one third (33%) of the HIV cases, which was up from 18.8% during the time period of 1983 to 1998.
The individual programs selected focus on high risk populations in the state that include college students, African American and Hispanic women, the youth, the homeless, rural populations, and the same-sex community.
The grant recipients, amounts of awards and brief program descriptions are as follows:
Alliance on Community Health, Inc. – $50,000; Through its Southern Arkansas AIDS Project, gender relevant and culturally sensitive social skills training will be conducted to reduce high risk behavior by heterosexual women. In addition, a community mobilization program will be implemented to reduce unintended pregnancy and HIV.
Arkansas Human Development Corporation – $50,000; The goal of this program is to educate the Hispanic population in order to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and screening in an effort to reduce the spread of the disease.Black Community Developers, Inc. – $50,000; Providing HIV prevention education messages to youth and young adults ages 12 to 25 through Play Safe, a program that utilizes visual and performing arts, written words, group presentations, and workshop seminars to enhance awareness. A link to job readiness and life skills will be included in this program.
Brotha’s & Sistah’s, Inc. – $50,000; Founded in the early 1990’s to provide prevention education and testing for HIV/AIDS, this organization initially targeted the African American gay and lesbian population. Plans are to distribute literature, implement incentive programs and provide testing to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender population. Social networks will also be used to disseminate and gather information.
Future Builders, Inc. – $40,419; Reduce risky behaviors associated with the transmission of HIV/AIDS of 600 African American homeless individuals in Pulaski County through a program called It’s Your Choice. Services will be delivered at the River City Ministry in North Little Rock, AR, a Day Resource Center for the homeless.
Jefferson Comprehensive Care System, Inc. – $50,000; Through its program called SISTAHS, 48 college students from Philander Smith College, Arkansas Baptist College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will be randomly selected to participate in a class. Sessions are gender specific, culturally relevant and include behavioral skills practice, group discussions, lectures, role-playing, prevention video viewing and take-home exercises.
Tri County Rural Health Network, Inc. – $50,000; Community-wide health information summits that focus on HIV/AIDS education will be held for residents of Lee, Monroe, Phillips and St. Francis Counties. The summits will be creatively implemented as a fun day. Residents will receive a listing/directory of HIV/AIDS resources available in Arkansas or within a 100-mile radius.
For more information, call the Arkansas Minority Health Commission at 501.686.2720 or toll-free at 877.264.2826.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Coalition
The Arkansas Minority Health Commission, in partnership with the Arkansas Minority HIV/AIDS Task Force has organized the HIV Prevention Coalition. The Coalition is made up of various representing agencies; the Arkansas Department of Health, UAMS College of Public Health, Jefferson Comprehensive Care System, INC., the Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits, PARK, a recreational center, St. Mark Baptist Church, STAND News, and the Arkansas AIDS Foundation. The Coalition held its first meeting in August of 2008 and immediately started planning events around World AIDS Day. The goal of this Coalition is to focus on high risk target audiences who are not infected with HIV. These groups include African-American women, the youth population and the Hispanic population.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Coalition archive
The AMHC and ADH partnered on two symposiums; in LR (Future Builders) and Jonesboro (ASU – Dr. G. Rahill) to educate the public regarding HIV/AIDS prevention, reduction and eventual elimination. More than 1000 balloons (provided by the Black AIDS Institute and AMHC) were released across the state at 6 locations representing each Congressional District. Hear the balloon release in NW Arkansas sponsored by the Community Health Clinic and excellent interview about the need for additional state resources and prevention/education programming to address HIV/AIDS in the state;
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kuaf/news.newsmain/article/6306/0/1583848/LOCAL.HEADLINES
/Community.Clinic.Releases.Balloons.Honor.of.World.AIDS.Day
Compassion Sunday was sponsored at 25 churches across the state on Sunday, November 29th! And there were 6 essay/poster winners (see photos). Sheryl Lee Ralph’s performance was entertaining, very well attended and created a call to action uniquely presented.
