Free Falling into Fall 2012

HELP FAIR offers One Stop Social Service

Local community based organization and affiliate of The Living Affected Corporation
STRILITE is preparing for its debut event, September 28 , 12- 6pm at 401 North Maple Street inside the First Presbyterian Church of Argenta in North Little Rock. Currently volunteers are being recruited to assist with The fair is designed to offer a "one stop" experience for those seeking social services, health screenings and additional information on the mission of the group and its umbrella entity, The Living Affected Corporation. Jonathan Griggs said, " we are excited about this chance to bring to life our "HEFTE" concept which addresses housing, education, food, treatment and employment in relation to either linking or retaining individuals into HIV/AIDS care." "through our research we've determined that these social determinants must be apart of the health care mix if we are to adequately make some impact within the community," He concluded. The group's purpose serves as a sub-grantee of ADH as well as the conduit of the HIV Prevention module to serve same gender loving men having sex with men population. All services will be offered free including limited groceries, giveaways, and information tables ranging from Workforce Services to companies such as AFLAC and Philander Smith College. For more information contact Griggs at either 855-STRILITE( 855-787-4583) or 501.379.8203

The Federal Digital Strategy and Opportunities for the Federal HIV Work Force

By Miguel Gomez, Director, AIDS.gov, and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

On May 23, 2012, the White House released the Digital Government Strategy (PDF), a twelve-month roadmap to build a 21st Century Digital Government that delivers better digital services to the American people.

The AIDS.gov team has been closely following the progress of the Strategy from development to implementation. We see the Strategy as an opportunity for change that can improve Federal communication about HIV, expand our collective reach and ultimately better serve the public around HIV prevention, care and treatment. We are working with our Federal colleagues to ensure that all of us understand the Strategy and are communicating about meeting its requirements. Given the Strategy’s significance, we used this opportunity to educate ourselves, our stakeholders, and colleagues in the Federal HIV community about this initiative.

To further act on this obligation, on August 14, 2012, AIDS.gov hosted “The Federal Digital Strategy and Opportunities for the Federal HIV Work Force” webinar. Federal staff from over 100 listening sites (representing agencies from HHS, VA, HUD, and the State Department and more) heard from senior leadership across the U.S. Government about the Digital Government Strategy, its impact on Federal programs, and how it is being implemented at the Federal agency level. Here are some highlights:
Ms. Gwynne Kostin, Director, Digital Services Innovation Center, Office of Citizen Services & Innovative Technologies, GSA, opened the call by providing an overview of the Strategy. Ms. Kostin noted that the Strategy is the result of work by two Federal workgroups focused on the revising Federal web and mobile policies. Ms. Kostin emphasized: 1) The Strategy is all about people and providing them access to information and services anytime, anywhere, on any device; 2) sharing best practices, platforms, and other available resources across the U.S. Government to provide high-quality digital services in a cost-effective and efficient manner; and 3) preparing the Government to adapt to the inevitable changes in technology.
Ms. Prudence Goforth, Director, Web Communications and New Media Division, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, HHS, talked about what implementation means at the agency level and highlighted opportunities the Strategy provides for the Federal HIV community. She underscored the importance of Federal agencies understanding their audiences and developing and delivering content through multiple channels to effectively reach the people they serve.

Mr. Fred Smith, Technology Team Lead, Electronic Media Branch, Division of News and Electronic Media, Office of the Associate Director for Communications, CDC, discussed content syndication as one way to achieve the aims of the Strategy. Content syndication is a process that allows content to be created once, but republished across multiple websites and web-based platforms. Syndicating content allows Federal agencies to make content available to many more citizens through multiple channels more efficiently and at lower cost compared to building and maintaining numerous websites.

Mr. Rick Holgate, Assistant Director for Science and Technology and Chief Information Officer, ATF, wrapped up the call by discussing what the Strategy means for an increasingly mobile workforce. He highlighted that mobile technologies have the capacity to enhance productivity and maximize the time Federal staff have to serve the public.
The speakers then responded to questions from Federal staff.
In the coming months, AIDS.gov will continue to follow and blog about the Strategy. Within the lens and requirements of the Strategy, we will also continue to look at the role of new media in enhancing communication with the people we serve—the HIV community, our Federal colleagues, citizens, and other stakeholders. Visit http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy and learn more about the Strategy at www.AIDS.gov.

ARcare Receives $500,000 Grant to Expand HIV Services in Arkansas

Funding will benefit women, infants, children and youth unable to afford HIV healthcare

ARcare, a community health center providing medical and other services in Arkansas and Kentucky, has been awarded a federal grant of $500,000 to provide a full range of HIV specialty medical and social services for women, infants, children and youth who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS and living in 53 counties of northwest, southwest, north central and northeast Arkansas.

The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Ryan White Part D Healthcare Program. The funding will expand access to care for HIV positive individuals who otherwise are unable to afford HIV health care and support services. Such services include HIV specialty and primary care visits, mental health services, oral health services, medical and non-medical case management, nutritional counseling, transportation assistance, adherence education and monitoring, outreach, and other services either at an ARcare medical clinic, an ARcare HIV Service Access Center, or with partnering agencies and healthcare systems.

“ARcare has been a Part D Grantee for the past 11 years, serving only Northeast Arkansas. Now, with this new competitive grant, we are able to expand our medical services to women, infants, children and youth in parts of the state that have never had access to the benefits of this grant, including the entire western half of Arkansas” said Dr. J. Dan Moore, HIV Services Program Director for ARcare. “We can now partner with local HIV providers and other specialists in the new service area to help assure that the target populations have access to health care services. This grant will further our mission at ARcare of providing ‘Health for All’.”

ARcare currently provides HIV services as a subcontractor in five of the six HIV service districts for the Arkansas Department of Health’s HIV Services Ryan White Part B Program, providing HIV social services at 14 ARcare HIV Service Access Center sites throughout Arkansas. ARcare also provides direct HIV and primary medical care and other social services through the Ryan White Part C Grant in North Central and Northeast Arkansas at ARcare clinics located in Conway, Kensett, Batesville, and Jonesboro, Arkansas.

This grant is awarded by the Health and Human Services (HHS) to 114 community-based organizations, university hospitals and health departments nationwide in the amount of more than $68 million nationwide to ensure that women, infants, children, and youth living with HIV/AIDS receive comprehensive primary HIV medical care and support services.

“With these investments, we’re targeting our resources to the communities that need them most,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. “This will help women, infants and children with HIV get the care and treatment they need by increasing access to comprehensive, coordinated primary care.”

For more information about HIV services at ARcare, please visit http://www.arcarehiv.com. ARcare has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Level III Patient Centered Medical Home, and was the first community health center nationwide to receive this distinction.

Augusta-based ARcare, a Baptist Health affiliate, is a private nonprofit corporation developed to provide affordable care to meet the primary medical and dental care needs of the residents of Arkansas through a network of primary care clinics, dental clinics, pharmacies and wellness centers. Dr. Steven Collier helped start the organization in 1986. Today, ARcare serves 30 communities. ARcare received the State Governor’s Quality Award for Achievement, and also serves as the state contractor for the Special Services Program. For more information and a complete list of clinics and affiliations, visit www.arcare.net J. Dan Moore, M.D.