HOPE’s Prevention Department
With an adage as a guide, “Knowledge is Power” HOPE’s prevention program educates the community about HIV/AIDS through testing, science-based behavioral interventions. The goal of HOPE’s HIV prevention program is to decrease the number of new HIV infections in the territory by:
- Facilitating early diagnosis of HIV among at-risk populations
- Increasing referrals to sustained quality counseling, treatment and other supportive care services for such persons diagnosed with HIV
- Providing effective counseling to persons who previously tested negative to decrease their risk of becoming HIV infected
- Increasing the number of individuals who know their HIV serostatus.
HIV Prevention Services
HOPE has been able to provide both prevention and social services to an underserved community infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as, the general community. These communities include the Afro-Caribbean, and Hispanic communities whose languages include English, Spanish, and French Creole. HOPE ensures that all of its services are culturally sensitive and relevant (our service staff were raised in these countries, understand and know the cultures and traditions of these countries). Via the employment of staff members and volunteers whose ethnic and cultural backgrounds matches that of the most current demographical make-up of the Virgin Islands HIV population (74% are Afro-Caribbean, 25% are Hispanic and 1% other). HOPE provides services to an ethnic population of individuals originating from the Eastern Caribbean as well as North and South America. Services include condom and pamphlet distributions, counseling, HIV testing and referral services, individual and group level interventions as well as informal HIV trainings.
HIV Counseling, Testing and Referral Services (CTRS)
In an effort to reduce HIV transmission HOPE Inc. provides free HIV Antibody screenings to individuals at risk for becoming HIV infected. Results are normally delivered within 20 minutes of the HIV antibody screening. CTRS is offered at Suite 23 & 24 of the Professional Building, the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center, and in the Mobile Unit.
SISTA
Is a Peer-Led Program to prevent HIV Infection among African–American Adult Women. SISTA seeks to prevent HIV transmission by promoting consistent condom use. Peer Health Educators lead five two-hour sessions, focusing first on ethnic and gender pride, then moving on to provide knowledge about HIV/AIDS and skills training to promote sexual safety. Each session employs group discussions, lectures, role play activities and written homework assignments to increase retention of risk reduction strategies
Project RESPECT
The RESPECT Intervention is designed to support risk reduction behaviors by increasing the client’s perception of his/her personal risks and by emphasizing incremental risk-reduction strategies.
VOICES
VOICES/VOCES is a single-session, video-based HIV/STD prevention program designed to encourage condom use and improve condom negotiation skills. The program is based on the theory of reasoned action, which explains how behaviors are guided by attitudes, beliefs, experiences, and expectations of other persons’ reactions. VOICES/VOCES is grounded in extensive formative research exploring the culture- and gender-based factors that can facilitate behavior change. An evaluation of the intervention showed that VOICES/VOCES is effective when delivered at a “teachable moment,” for instance when a visit to an STD clinic may motivate a person to change behavior.
Girlfriends
Girlfriends, an invitation only intervention is a single session 2-hour HIV empowerment intervention. The goal of Girlfriends is to teach women to communicate with intimate partners and friends about HIV/AIDS. Women who complete Girlfriends will be well rounded with HIV information and user friendly safer sex preventative methods.
Mini HIV
The Mini HIV 101 is a 2 hour overview of HIV/AIDS. Included in this informational session is a segment on the proper usage of condoms and other safer sex materials.
HIV 101
The HIV 101 informational session is a 4-6 hour educational session on the subject of HIV/AIDS. Subject matter included in an HIV 101 informational session include in-depth information pertaining to HIV/AIDS Territorial and worldwide statistics, the medical and biological aspects of HIV, the history of HIV and the direction in which the disease is going. In addition an information/demonstration segment on the proper usage of condoms and other safer sex materials is offered. Educators at the event include Health Educators, physicians and persons infected or affected by HIV.
The SiHLE Intervention
SIHLE is a peer-led, social-skills training intervention aimed at reducing HIV sexual risk behavior among sexually active, African American teenage females, ages 14-18.
Case Management
Individualized case management services is a client-centered HIV prevention activity that provides intensive, ongoing, individualized prevention counseling, support, and service brokerage to persons at risk for HIV.
HOPE’s Social Services Department
All Social Services provided by HOPE Inc. are founded by generous donations and funds raised during HIV/AIDS fundraisers. HOPE Inc. does not charge for any of the services offered by out agency.
Calcol (Nourishing) Program
Calcol is HOPE’s Meals-on Wheel’s program. When dealing with chronic diseases and/or other medical illnesses, it is essential for individuals to maintain an accurate, healthy diet. HOPE provides services for HIV/AIDS diagnosed individuals who are unable to stand for long periods of time and/or unable to provide nutritious well-balanced meals for themselves. When taking antiretroviral medications it is vital for the individual to not only understand the importance of a well balanced diet and what foods are appropriate for what medicines, but also to have access to those foods and liquids. Microwaves and Refrigerators are provided to those individuals that qualify for the program that do not have the necessary equipment to cool or warm supplied food and drinks.
Individuals who qualify for the Calcol Program currently receive two (2) cases of bottled water, two (2) cases of V8 Splash and one (1) case of Ensure monthly.
Individuals that qualify for meals receive delivered breakfast and lunch throughout the week.
Helem (Healing)
Helem is HOPE’s Therapeutic Massage Therapy Program. This program provides Therapeutic Massages to individuals suffering from chronic conditions associated with AIDS Related Complications. As an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs, massage therapy has proven beneficial for many chronic conditions including lower back pain, fatigue, high blood pressure, immunity suppression, depression and more. Clients and physicians will attest to the fact that massage therapy helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living that can lead to other diseases and illnesses. Massage therapy will increase the emotional, physical and psychological well-being of clients referred to this program by their physicians.
To qualify for the Helem Program, a Physician Referral is required.
Amashai (The Peoples Gift)
Amashai is HOPE’s Health-on-Wheels program. The Amashai program offers in-home medical monitoring such as weight, blood pressure, and blood draws. When the program begins, these services will be provided by part-time and volunteer Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). This program will target individuals that are medically non-compliant. The Amashai Program will work closely with both the Ryan White Titles II and III programs.
Imani House (Faith)
The Imani House is HOPE’s Transitional Housing program. This program will provide intermediate housing for HIV/AIDS patients from hospital to home for recovery. Once an HIV/AIDS patient is released from the hospital because they no longer meet hospitalization criteria, home care options are very limited. As a result, many HIV/AIDS patients in the Virgin Islands depend on the Medicaid Assistance Program (MAP) for medical assistance. Unfortunately, a number of these persons are under insured and/or uninsured. The Imani House will be used as an HIV/AIDS Transitional Housing that will provide a six (6) to twenty-four (24) months home for health management and follow-up care. The purpose of the Imani House is to assist clients with becoming more self sufficient as it pertains to their health care in order to lower, identifying and removing barriers, integrating services, and developing plans for communal, economical and health stability. The Imani House will staff Licensed Practical Nurse’s (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs), a Social Worker and an on-call physician.