I also found our blogging topic to be very interesting. I found a unique ASO in Montreal called AIDS Community Care Montreal, or ACCM, and ended up searching through their website for almost an hour! I can only begin to describe all of the amazing programs they offer for HIV positive citizens, but I will do my best to give them justice. First, I looked at their mission statement and found them to be like most ASO's. They believe in building a society free from the stigma that HIV often entails. The ACCM strives to be a community resource to help citizens make informed decisions, ultimately resulting in a better quality of life for those infected with HIV and the prevention of transmission for others. All of their programs are offered in English and an increasing amount of programs are offered in French. However, every team member at the ACCM is bilingual and all programs are free of charge.
One goal of the ACCM is to offer a social setting free of judgement. They organize "Positive Mingles" throughout the year where people can meet and mingle without a worry of disclosure. They also offer a holiday season open house, summer BBQ's and an ice skating party. The ACCM has created a Drop In Resource Center that is available for coffee, social events, health promotion workshops and cooking demonstrations. The Center provides access to materials regarding HIV and the community and also offers referrals to other services.
The ACCM offers a series of workshops regarding different aspects of sexuality and HIV. You can take each workshop individually or partake in the whole series. There are workshops concerning relationships, sexuality, disclosure and communication. They also offer a variety of support groups. One support group called Positively Living provides information on concerns ranging from medication and nutrition to emotional health and sexuality. This support group is comprised of HIV positive, gay men and is primarily full of long term survivors. Another support group is the Spirituality Group. This group uses a variety of different belief systems to discuss topics such as life, mortality and afterlife. Latino Positivo is a bi-monthly support group offered completely in Spanish. The group covers information such as resources for refugees and/or immigrants.
The ACCM offers a Buddy Program to improve quality of life for an HIV positive citizen through the use of one on one support. A buddy must go through intense training before they are eligible to join the Buddy Program. Buddy training includes classes in HIV 101 and 102, Active Listening 101 and 102, Depression and Suicide, Harm Reduction, Death Dying and Bereavement, Transphobia, and Queerphobia.
This is a link to an ACCM HIV 101 Introduction Video. For some reason I am having problems uploading it onto my blog but I really wanted everyone to see the video. If anyone could let me know exactly how to transfer videos from YouTube to this blog, I would really appreciate it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI4PLKL56dk
The ACCM also offers a Therapet Program in recognition of the healing powers a pet can have over its master. The Therapet Program offers bi-annual vet clinics with consultations, vaccinations and flea treatment medications at a reduced price. Participants in the Therapet Program are also eligible for the Emergency Pet Care Financial Assistance Program.
Another one of the many programs offered through ACCM is the Treatment Program. Tri-therapy anti-retroviral medication has provided a new hope for quality of life and life expectancy. However, it is not easy to become accustomed to the side effects and strict medication regimen. The Treatment Program supports people through the first months of a new or changing medication regimen. It is during this time that the side effects are the most severe. The Program also focuses on difficulties of adhering to the regimen and offers workshops to promote treatment literacy. Conferences are organized several times throughout the year to discuss specific HIV treatment topics.
One final program offered by the ACCM is the Buyers' Club. The Buyers' Club is a participant-run food cooperative that provides nutritious, high protein and low cost food for members on a monthly basis. Members can place an order ranging from $10-40 and this contribution plus donations from outside the club goes towards the bulk grocery purchase. The Buyers' Club was started in 1999 for members of the ACCM, but as of 2001 became available to other AIDS organizations in Montreal. Follow this link to see an example of the menu provided to participants:
http://www.accmontreal.org/en/documents/Order%20form%20English.pdf
I encourage you to check out the ACCM website. All of the information listed above is available.
http://www.accmontreal.org/en/about.html
***Did You Know?***
As you know by now, my "Did You Know" topic is HIV and pregnancy. Did you know that after a baby is born to an HIV positive mother, they must immediately undergo six months of treatment? This small window of time can reduce the risk of transmission by 60%.
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1223.asp#head11
Hello Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are feeling better. This week was hard for me as well because I had to walk away from a job that should have been good practice for my career. :(
I really enjoyed the question of the week because there are many college students that go through this situation and feel like they are alone. The reality is, so many people go out and party and do not realize that the actions the are doing that night could affect them for the rest of their lives. It is nice to let loose and party after a long semester, but everyone needs to be aware of what they are doing to prevent the spread of HIV.
I enjoyed reading about the organization that you chose. I like the idea of having a social setting free of judgment for people that are HIV positive. If I was HIV positive, I would look forward to hanging out with people that are in the same situation as me. The workshops would also be very educational seeing as some people are scared to ask their doctors certain questions.
Have a relaxing weekend!
-Courtney D
After doing the module the statistics for teenagers and adolescents is shocking! I just wish we could all tell the youth to remain abstinence and practice safe sex...and then have that happen. I know it's a long shot, but I believe that's why we are all in this class; in order to learn and help to educate others. I am really interested in the organization you chose to research. I am specifically interested in the buddy program that they offer. I think that is a great idea, similar to the pen pal system we have in this course. I am also intrigued by the work queerphobia. I had never heard of this term but you learn something new every day! Good post.
ReplyDeleteGreat video. I love it when I see people in my country being so proactive. I wish we could have some of the things they have here in Orlando. Unfortunately, that won't happen because of all the in-fighting for the scarce dollars.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the flu. I've been lucky so far. Can't afford to get sick with 5 classes to worry about. Glad you are feeling better.
I like the idea of a worry free environment from disclosure. Many people who are suffering from HIV, especially those newly diagnosed, have problems in social settings. A program like this in Orlando would be a God-send.
ReplyDelete