PURPOSE:
The goal of the Regional STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention
Program (RSHAPP) is to improve the delivery and effectiveness of
HIV prevention services for American Indian Tribes. Indian organizations,
and urban Indian health centers in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. This
is accomplished by providing the following capacity building activities.
AMERICAN INDIAN HIV PREVENTION TASK
FORCE
The training staff facilitates American Indian
HIV Prevention Task Forces in Arizona and Utah. The purpose of the
task forces are to build and strengthen the capacity of American
Indian tribes, tribal organizations and urban Indian health centers
to develop effective HIV prevention strategies through intertribal
networking and collaboration. The Task force membership are HIV
prevention providers that include Tribal Health Educators, Community
Health Representatives (CHR's), Substance Abuse Counselors, Community
Members, and those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The task forces
also include collaborative support and participation by the Indian
Health Services (IHS), Arizona and Utah State Health Departments,
Arizona and Utah County Health Departments, and local Community
Based Organizations.
NEVADA AMERICAN INDIAN HIV PREVENTION
WORK GROUP
The training staff facilitates a statewide
HIV prevention work group in Nevada that mobilizes tribes and community
based organizations to collaborate on mutual issues regarding HIV
awareness and to strategize on overcoming cultural barriers to HIV
prevention. The work group develops yearly goals and objectives
that assist tribes to develop or expand existing HIV prevention
services and improve service delivery for those infected and affected
by HIV/AIDS. Work group membership includes tribal public health
providers, substance abuse counselors, law enforcement, domestic
violence personnel, and CHR's among others. The work group is supported
by the Nevada Department of Health.
CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANCE
The program staff responds to individual requests
for capacity building assistance (CBA). The ongoing CBA services
offered and provided are technical consultation on community mobilization,
resource development, leadership development, HIV community planning,
and coalition/board development. The program also conducts training
on grant writing, conducting needs assessments, HIV counseling and
testing, and cultural competency. Additional information is also
disseminated through an Internet list serve of HIV funding sources
and announcements, American Indian HIV statistics, and emerging
HIV issues for American Indians.
All CBA services provided by the RSHAPP are
conducted with cultural appropriateness and when available utilizing
local community resources. The RSHAPP utilizes its training staff
and network of consultants to deliver CBA activities. All trainers
and consultants are American Indian and have a wealth of experience
working on community mobilization efforts to expand community capacity
for HIV prevention.
NATIVE AMERICAN RED CROSS INSTRUCTOR
TRAINING
The Native American Red Cross Instructor Training
(NARCIT) certifies American Indians and others to develop the necessary
skills to initiate and sustain cultural/traditional stories and
legends that would encourage dialogue about HIV and AIDS. The dialogue
outcome will enable American Indian community members to learn basic
HIV facts and to encourage them to apply those facts to their own
behavior. Participants who successfully complete the 3-day training
course will receive a document of certification through the American
Red Cross.
NATIVE AMERICAN RED CROSS INSTRUCTOR
TRAINING FOR YOUTH
The Native American Red Cross Instructor Training
for Youth (YNARCIT) is an adult facilitated Peer Educator training
program for youth. Trained Peer Educators range in age from 13-19
years of age and are trained to deliver HIV information to other
American Indian youth utilizing cultural enablers such as songs,
storytelling, music, etc. to make the information relevant to their
tribe.
HIV PREVENTION SPECIALIST TRAINING
The RSHAPP is currently developing a certificate
program to train public health providers to be HIV Prevention Specialists.
The program will offer a series of courses that includes HIV basics,
treatment options for people living with HIV/AIDS, epidemiology,
HIV counseling and testing, and cultural competency among others.
The HIV Prevention Specialist program is scheduled to begin January
2004.
PROGAM EVALUATION
The program conducts ongoing evaluation of
all CBA activities to provide the highest level of leadership development,
community mobilization, training and technical assistance. Evaluation
includes maintaining an external evaluation team through a Materials
Review Committee, collaboration with local universities and State
health departments, and conducting follow-up and gap analysis.
If you would like to be added to the RSHAPP
mailing list, like more information on the Regional
STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, or require any additional
information on available trainings, please contact Michelle Sabori
at (602) 307-1516.
This page may contain HIV prevention messages that may not be
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