Since 1986, Center for Community Health, Education & Research, Inc., a Haitian-run organization, has been meeting the health and social service needs of Boston's immigrant Haitian community. Originating as a response to the AIDS crisis that was devastating the Haitian community during that time, the organization has developed into an important community resource for this population. The agency provides culturally competent services to Haitians living with HIV/AIDS, in the areas of case management, housing advocacy, counseling, education, substance abuse services, peer support, and a meal program. For example, a culturally competent health education model reaches approximately 500 Haitians per year, providing critical HIV, STD and other health information to Haitian adults. An innovative HIV case management model serves over 200 Haitians per year. A research unit was established to begin to evaluate the agency services and to be instrumental in community capacity building. As the agency has grown and evolved, prominent lessons have been learned in the areas of service delivery, capacity building, community organization, and collaboration for this community. This presentation will discuss the following: needs of the Haitian community in relation to HIV/AIDS; the approaches, challenges, and innovations that the organization has undertaken over the years to meet the health and social service needs of this complex and challenging immigrant group; the development of need-based HIV/AIDS; how the agency has made a presence in a community initially resistant to HIV/AIDS services; and how the agency will continue to meet the needs of Haitians in the new millennium.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Understand the complex health and social needs of an immigrant Haitian community in relation to HIV/AIDS 2. Recognize the approaches, challenges and innovations of a community based organization providing culturally competent HIV services to this immigrant group 3. Apply 'lessons learned' from this presentation to culturally competent health initiatives for other immigrant groups
Keywords: Immigrants, HIV/AIDS
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.