Helping Others in a Positive Environment, Inc.

Helping Others in a Positive Environment (HOPE, Inc.) is a 501 (C)3 non-profit social service organization that promotes the reduction of HIV/AIDS transmission and other chronic diseases in the U.S. Virgin Islands

HOPE’s Goal:

To decrease the number of individuals living with chronic diseases in the territory by:

• Providing year round testing and early detection health screening services
• Facilitating referrals to sustained quality counseling, treatment and other supportive care services for persons diagnosed with chronic diseases
• Provide effective counseling and educational services to persons who are at risk for developing chronic diseases
• Increase the number of individuals who know their health status
• To care for individuals infected and affected by chronic diseases

Mission Statement:

Reducing chronic diseases through prevention education & providing linkages to care & treatment.”

HOPE’s Prevention Department:

HOPE’s prevention program educates the community about Heart Disease/Hypertention, Diabetes, Obesity and HIV/AIDS utilizing effective behavioral interventions and screening services.

Programs:

• HIV and chronic disease counseling, testing and referral services (CTRS)
  • HOPE, Inc. provides free HIV Antibody screenings to individuals at risk for becoming HIV infected.
  • Diabetes, Heart Disease/Hypertension and Obesity prevention and educational services.
  • Glucose, blood pressure and body mass index screening services.
  • Health care referral services.
  • The Women and Girls Prevention Program
    • Provides intense individualized prevention services to individuals at risk of transmitting HIV
      • Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS (SISTA)  A peer-led program aimed at preventing HIV infection among women of color.
      • Sisters Informing Healing Living and Empowering (SiHLE) – empowerment intervention that utilizes risk reduction strategies such as abstaining from sex, using condoms consistently, and having fewer sex partners to reduce risky  behavior among adolescent females.
      • Teen to Young Adult “Rites-of-Passage” – An interactive HIV, sexually transmitted infection (STI) and domestic violence prevention intervention that reduces high risk behavioral determinants by educating and increasing the skills set of high school females between the ages of 16 and 18
      • Gender Specific HIV 101’s - A 1 ½ hour course that gives an overview of what puts women at risk for HIV/AIDS.  Topics covered include gender responsiveness, identity and roles.

HOPE’s Social Service Department:

• Calcol (Nourishing)
  • HOPE provides meals and liquids to individuals who are infected with HIV/AIDS that are financially medically in need of nutritional assistance
  • Helem (Healing)
    • HOPE’s Therapeutic Massage Therapy Program. This program provides therapeutic massages to individuals suffering from chronic conditions associated with AIDS-related complications

Coming Soon:

• Amashai (The People’s Gift)
  • HOPE’s Health on Wheels Program will offer in-home medical monitoring such as weight, blood pressure and blood draws.