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Welcome to the January edition of the MAP AIDSLine Update!

Have questions about HIV risk? Uncertain about what resources may be available for your HIV-positive clients? The MAP AIDSLine can help providers find the resources they need. With a database of over 500 HIV prevention and service resources throughout Minnesota, we can help you find the best resource. If we can't find something immediately, we will research it and call you back. We can be reached Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437, or TTY 612-373-2465 or 888-820-2437.

Table of Contents

1. In the News
2. HIV Community Bulletin Board
3. Statewide Calendar of Events
4. HIV Adult Foster Care
5. Case Management Update
6. Job Openings

In the News

Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorized

Congress passed the bill reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act, which is the key source of Federal funding for many HIV services.  Some of the principal provisions contained in the bill are: substantial increases in funding for Southern states; clauses maintaining funding levels so that no states receive less than 95% of their 2006 funding levels; counting all HIV-positive people for funding regardless of where they live or how data are reported; maintaining the funding pool for prescription drugs; and establishing a four-year transition period for states with code-based reporting to convert to names-based reporting systems. The compromise legislation also repeals the Ryan White CARE Act after three years, mandating that Congress write a new law and reconsider the challenges of HIV funding before then.

We do not yet know the impact of the reauthorization of the compromise format of the Ryan White Act on funding in Minnesota, but MAP will keep you posted as this information becomes available.

Twin Cities ACTU Site Closes

After 20 years as a participating AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (ACTU), it was announced that the University of Minnesota was not awarded funding for the next cycle. A related outcome of that decision is that there will no longer be a Community Advisory Board (CAB) in the Twin Cities either as that organization was closely related to the ACTU and funding flowed from the ACTU to CAB. Those patients currently enrolled in studies will be allowed to complete them.  For further information about the changes and other available clinical trials, contact Dr. Henry Balfour at University of Minnesota, 612-626-5670.

Microbicide Trials Underway

Clinical trials of the experimental microbicide Carraguard are underway in South Africa. This particular microbicide is being developed by the New York City-based nonprofit Population Council and is one of more than 60 microbicides currently under development worldwide that could help prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other STIs. In the trials, women will use it one hour before sexual intercourse. It is hoped that this first generation of microbicides could prevent up to 35% of new HIV infections.

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HIV Community Bulletin Board

Below are announcements submitted by HIV service organizations that are of general interest to Minnesota's HIV community. Email Bulletin Board announcements to the MAP AIDSLine by the 25th of each month for publication the following month.

PrideAlive is offering free HIV testing in January by appointment at the Minnesota AIDS Project office, 1400 Park Ave, Minneapolis. The test is quick and painless, with no blood or needles. Results come back in one week. To schedule your appointment or for more information on this and other PrideAlive events, email keith.pederson@mnaidsproject.org or call 612-373-2475. You may also schedule your testing appointment by calling the MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437.

Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP) Legal Services provides consultation for immigrants with HIV-related immigration issues with an attorney at three sites: MAP's offices at 1400 Park Ave S, Minneapolis; at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), 701 Park Ave, Minneapolis; and in collaboration with the Immigrant Law Center, 450 N Syndicate St, St. Paul.

Legal clinics at HCMC are available only for individuals receiving medical care through HCMC. Clinics at MAP are open to any HIV-positive person with an immigration issue. Clinics at the Immigrant Law Center are for those with HIV-related immigration issues living in the East Metro or southern Minnesota counties.

Consultations for all three locations are by appointment. Contact Dan Kelly at 612-373-2426 to schedule an appointment for the MAP and Immigrant Law Center locations. Contact Chris Larson at 612-873-6118 to schedule an appointment for the HCMC location.

Immigration clinics in January are as follows: The HCMC Clinic is January 8; MAP Clinics are January 9 and 16; Immigrant Law Center Clinic is January 19.

Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP)  Quick Connect Program is for individuals living with HIV who are not connected to HIV services, including medical care. Whether someone is newly diagnosed, recently moved and needs to connect to services in a new location, needs to re-connect to care or needs additional services, Quick Connect can help. Individuals may have an appointment either in-person or by phone. The appointment lasts about an hour. To schedule an appointment, contact the MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437 or TTY 612-373-2465. Interpretation services are available.

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Statewide Calendar of Events

If you have an event to promote to the HIV community, please contact us by the 25th of each month via email or call MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437. We publish information about HIV-related events being held in Minnesota. 

January 2

HIV Planning Council Community Voice Committee

The Community Voice Committee is the arm of the HIV Planning Council that represents people living with HIV. It discusses how federal money should be spent to improve the lives of people living with HIV in Minnesota. Meetings are the first Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. at Harriet Tubman Center, 3111 1st Ave S, Minneapolis. For a full list of Planning Council and various associated committee meetings, call 612-596-7894 or 888-638-3224. Learn more about the Planning Council.

January 7

Positive Link Social 7

Join the guys from Positive Link for food and conversation at 5 p.m. at the MAP offices, 1400 Park Ave, Minneapolis. Bring a dish to share for Positive Pot Luck.  For more information about this and other Positive Link events, call 612-373-2463 or 612-373-2466.

January 9

Minnesota HIV Services Planning Council Meeting

The Planning Council establishes program and service priorities that help determine how Ryan White funding will be used statewide. The Planning Council seeks membership from communities affected and infected with HIV, and meetings are open to the public. The full planning council meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. For a full list of Planning Council and various associated committee meetings, call 612-596-7894 or 888-638-3224. Please confirm date and location of meetings, as these sometimes change. Learn more about the Planning Council.

January 11

Strong. United. Positive. (S.U.P.) Meeting for Positive Youth

This is a monthly gathering for young adults, ages 16 to 20-something, who are living with HIV. Experience support through friendship. Come meet new people for dinner, games, movies, music, and conversation. The group meets from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Park House, 2120 Park Ave S, in Minneapolis. Please RSVP to Peggy, 612-964-8525. Call day or evening. Calls are confidential.

January 18

Pride Alive Volunteer and Skill Building Night

This is a chance for volunteers to assist Pride Alive staff with organizational support, condom inventories, and phone calling. It is also an opportunity to build some skills at doing Internet Outreach by working alongside experienced Outreach staff. The session runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the MAP offices at 1400 Park Ave, Minneapolis. For additional information about this or other Pride Alive activities, call 612-373-2475 or email keith.pederson@mnaidsproject.org.

January 20

BYOB—Buy Your Own Brunch

This month’s Positive Link brunch outing will be to Crystal Café located at 2732 Douglas Drive, Crystal. Brunch is at 11 a.m. To reserve your place for brunch or to get more information on this and other Positive Link events, call 612-373-2463 or 612-373-2466.

January 22

African American HIV Education and Prevention Instructor Training

Offered by the American Red Cross of the Twin Cities, this program prepares attendees to deliver HIV training in a culturally sensitive manner to African American communities. It is a 38-hour program of classroom instruction beginning at 2 p.m. and then continuing 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. January 23 through January 26. The “HIV Starter Facts” class, which is offered the morning of January 22, is a prerequisite. Classes are held at the Minneapolis Headquarters Office of the Red Cross at 1201 W River Parkway. For further information or to register call 612- 872-3245 or email registration@redcrosstc.org.

January 27

Getting the Most Out of Your HIV Health Care

Positive Link is presenting a workshop to help you get the most out of your health care by focusing on understanding HIV, your rights as a patient, and how you can maximize your health care dollars. For those interested who cannot attend this workshop, it will be repeated on February 24. The workshop begins at 11 a.m. with complimentary brunch at Park House, 2120 Park Ave S, Minneapolis. To reserve your place for the workshop or to get more information on this and other Positive Link events, call 612-373-2466.

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HIV Adult Foster Care Update
(As of December 18)

This is a list of HIV adult foster care homes in the Twin Cities and information regarding openings for new clients. For more information on phone numbers, intake procedures, and locations, contact the MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437. Openings at foster care homes can change quickly. Contact Maureen Wells to verify current openings.

Agape (I & II)—No openings.
Clare House—No openings.
Damiano House—1 opening.
Grace House I—No openings.
Grace House II—1 opening.
Hope House—1 opening.

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Case Management Program Update
(As of  December 21 )

This is a list of Minnesota HIV case management programs and information regarding openings for new clients. To update information, or to add a case management program status to this list, please contact Jim Nastoff by the 25th of each month at 612-373-2446, 800-248-2437, or by email. For more information on phone numbers and intake procedures for any listed case management program, contact the MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437.

Access Works Prevention Case Management—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients. Targets current or former injection drug users who are at high risk for contracting or transmitting HIV and/or Hepatitis C.

Aliveness Project Prevention Case Management—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients. Targets HIV+ MSM who also have mental illness or chemical abuse issues. Individuals must become members of the Aliveness Project.

Clinic 42—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients with 1-month wait list.

HealthPartners Specialty Center—St. Paul—Openings for new clients with 6-month wait list; 12-month wait list for patients not receiving medical care at HealthPartners. Some social services can be provided while clients are on the wait list.

Hennepin County Medical Center—Minneapolis—Openings with two to three-week wait for Transitional Case Management. Permanent case management has 10 to 12-month wait list. Clients who speak Oromo, Amharic, or Somali are now subject to the same wait list as other individuals. Immediate openings for women who are pregnant. Priority given to HCMC clinic patients.

Indigenous Peoples Task Force—Openings for new clients in both the Minneapolis and Brainerd offices.

Mayo Clinic—Rochester—Closed for new clients. Will take someone in crisis.

Minneapolis Urban League—Openings for new clients.

Minnesota AIDS Project—All offices have openings for new clients including: Twin Cities Metro, Duluth and St. Cloud.

Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN)—All RAAN sites have openings for new clients. This includes: Alexandria, Bemidji, Hibbing, Mankato, Pipestone and Willow River. Care advocacy is available for individuals who live outside the case management regions.

Turning Point—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients.

Youth and AIDS Projects (YAP)—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients.

Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center—Minneapolis—Openings for new clients. Must be a U.S. veteran.

Westside Community Health Services—Openings for new clients. Priority given to Spanish-speaking clients and WSCHS patients.

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Job Openings

Please visit our Employment page to view current job openings at the Minnesota AIDS Project.

Recovery Resource Center is seeking three Prevention Specialists to provide prevention services on behalf of Twin Cities HOPE, a partnership between Recovery Resource Center (Chemical Health/Prevention, Minnesota AIDS Project (HIV Prevention) and Access Works (Hepatitis Prevention). Each specialist is specifically responsible for designing and implementing prevention activities in compliance with SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework. Job activities will include: community mobilization and coordination; strategic outreach; education; pre-test and post-test counseling; substance abuse screening; HIV screening and testing; Hepatitis screening and testing; and referral, advocacy and service coordination. Each Specialist will be hired at one of the three organizations that comprise HOPE but will become cross-trained in all three prevention areas.

Deadline for application is Friday, January 12, 2007 at Noon. Application materials must be submitted by the deadline to Heidi Kammer, Director of Programs, Recovery Resource Center, 1900 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Inquiries may be made only by email to hkammer@resource-mn.org . Materials to submit to be considered: cover letter, identifying interest in the position, qualifications and skill sets; resume summarizing career objectives, education and employment experience. For a more detailed job description, visit www.resource-mn.org.

If you have a position you would like to promote to the HIV community, please send us an email or call MAP AIDSLine at 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437. We publish openings for jobs specifically related to HIV prevention or HIV services in Minnesota.

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During the first week of each month, this email update is sent to over 500 subscribers who are involved in HIV prevention and service in Minnesota. If you have information to contribute, please contact MAP AIDSLine via phone or email by the 25th of the previous month. We publish information about HIV-related events and programs in Minnesota. All information is subject to editing and approval by MAP staff.

The MAP AIDSLine Update is available through email list service. If you wish to subscribe to the MAP AIDSLine Update, contact MAP AIDSLine by phone or email.

MAP AIDSLine
Minnesota AIDS Project
Phone 612-373-2437 or 800-248-2437
TTY 612-373-2465 or 888-820-2437
www.mnaidsproject.org
mapaidsline@mnaidsproject.org

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Last Updated: Tuesday, April 3, 2007
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