My Own Little Sermon on HIV!

I don't normally talk about my job - not because I don't LOVE it and appreciate the unique and wonderful opportunities I have within it but because, frankly, not many people want to hear about it! For those who don't know what I do - I am the Director of HIV Services for Community Health Center. I administer grants through the Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act that provide medical, dental, HIV specific and behavioral health care to people with HIV/AIDS. I also run a drop in center in Middletown for people with HIV where they can receive support services like case management to remain as stable as possible.

Yesterday at the Capital staff and clients of the health center participated in AIDS Awareness Day - a day of awareness for the HIV community to let legislators and the public know how far we have come and how much farther we have to go. The reason I thought this might interest my blog fans is because HIV has become known as a chronic disease - a disease that does not kill but is an inconvenience. While it is true that HIV is highly treatable and medications are successfully helping people to remain medically stable and live longer - HIV is not curable and it does kill. And right now the highest rate of new infections are in children and adolescents age 13-25. Yes, you read that correctly. CHILDREN ages 13-25 are being diagnosed with HIV even though through state laws for HIV testing of pre-partum mothers we have virtually wiped out infection of children peri-natally(passed from mother to child through pregnancy and birth). All of these new HIV cases are being contracted through risky sexual behavior or drug use! There is a bill on the floor right now that would award public schools thousands of dollars in grants for disseminating age appropriate, medically based HIV and sex education information. A scary thought but not half as scary as the alternatives!

These are just a few pictures from the Capital yesterday - clients and community members hoping to make a difference in the fight to protect people from HIV/AIDS and to secure services for those already infected. It's not a fun subject but it is an important one. It is estimated that there are 19,000 people living in CT with HIV/AIDS but that only 11,000 are actually diagnosed. Most are not aware of their status and therefore are more likely to spread it. If nothing else say a prayer that we find some relevant way to educate our teens on how to stay safe before this becomes a crisis situation. Not ONE more person needs to become infected with HIV - it is a preventable disease!

Thanks for listening - pictures of the kids to follow later tonight!