AIDS ALABAMA INC
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Mission Statement
AIDS Alabama devotes its energy and resources statewide to helping people with HIV/AIDS live healthy, independent lives and works to prevent the spread of HIV.
About This Cause
AIDS Alabama was incorporated in 1986 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In 1988 AIDS Alabama was awarded a grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to perform a needs assessment for persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the greater Birmingham area. In 1990 at the completion of this study, housing for PLWH was determined to be the number one need in the community. Housing continues to be a major focus of work today. Prevention education services increased, and a contract with the Alabama Medicaid Agency was added. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Competitive awards were received in 1997 for the multiple-diagnoses initiative, now known as JASPER House, which provides housing and supportive services for dually diagnosed persons with HIV who are unable to live independently due to severe mental illness. In 1998 a HOPWA Competitive award was received for the Alabama Rural AIDS Project to provide outreach workers in 35 rural counties and to purchase ten houses for families living with HIV. These two awards moved the agency further along the continuum of more sophisticated types of housing services with the belief that without stable housing PLWH would not be able to access healthcare. Currently AIDS Alabama operates with an annual budget of over $14 million and employs a staff of approximately 110. AIDS Alabama focuses on housing; mental health and substance abuse services; HIV/STI prevention and education services, including free and confidential HIV/STI testing; and advocacy. In 2017 AIDS Alabama directly served nearly 10,000 homeless individuals and families in our housing. The agency provided over 155,000 units of service including nights of housing (Emergency Housing, Permanent Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), and Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility (STRMU) assistance), mental health and substance use services, case management services, supportive services, and transportation to these clients. The Rectory is home to the agency’s Intensive Outpatient Program for substance abuse called Living In Balance Chemical Addiction Program (LIBCAP). Providing twelve beds, the Rectory is an emergency shelter-styled program for homeless, HIV-positive single adults with chemical addiction issues. In 2017 over 3,400 bed nights were provided. AIDS Alabama also provides permanent housing to more independent clients with an option for supportive services at Mustard Seed, Agape House, and Agape II. Begun in October 2016, the HUD-funded program called the Ascension Project provides housing to homeless youth ages 19 – 24. The program, which uses the model of rapid re-housing, provided 9,196 nights of housing in 2017. A primary component of this program is the team of experienced social workers that provide street outreach to these youth, building trust with them, and guiding them toward a more stable and productive future. The Prevention and Community Partnerships Department provides HIV/STI prevention education to the general population of Jefferson County as well as those infected with HIV. We also provide free and confidential HIV/STI testing at our office and through our traveling Mobile Testing Unit, performing over 1,700 HIV tests in Alabama in 2017. Our Policy and Advocacy Department works to build grassroots leaders to advocate for themselves and their communities on local, state, and national levels; thus creating the cultural and policy shift needed to prevent HIV through systems-level and community-based change. LGBTQ equality and rights, racial justice, economic and gender justice, voting rights, and reproductive rights are also focuses of the Policy and Advocacy department. In June 2016 AIDS Alabama opened the Living Well Outpatient Center (LWOC), an Alabama Department of Mental Health-certified mental health center. The LWOC is currently serving members of our community who are HIV-positive and have emotional and mental health issues. Currently, the LWOC is serving over 100 clients face-to-face and more through telemedicine in Mobile County through our sister agency, AIDS Alabama South. AIDS Alabama’s newest partnership, which began in April 2017, is with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This program provides for the rapid re-housing of unstably housed clients served by the UAB 1917 Clinic. The program is structured on financial vouchers given to the clients that help them overcome monetary barriers to stable housing. As the client’s housing stability increases, the intensity of service gradually decreases. The program marked its first year of serving clients and is currently over capacity. Our Transclusive program also uses a rapid re-housing model to safely and stably house homeless individuals that self-identify as transgender. AIDS Alabama’s expansion into services directed toward those in our community that are homeless but not necessarily HIV-positive reflects an intentional focus on HIV prevention and providing services to those that may be at risk for contracting HIV or hepatitis C. Stable housing has been proven to substantially reduce risky behaviors that transmit the viruses, thus reducing incidence of new cases, as well as improving medical outcomes. Until a cure or vaccine for HIV is found, stable housing is a first line of defense for reducing the rates of transmission. AIDS Alabama offers several types of housing assistance, housing programs, and lease agreements to best suit the physical, mental, and financial health of those in our care. As the largest AIDS Service Organization in Alabama, AIDS Alabama is well-suited to continue the fight against HIV in the Deep South while working to end stigma, house the homeless, and fight the spread of HIV. AIDS Alabama currently has one hundred and seven (107) staff, ninety-five (95) full-time and twelve (12) part-time staff. The agency is directed by our Chief Executive Officer, Kathie Hiers, who has been at the helm of the agency for 17 years and who directly supervises all departments. The Executive Director, Mitchell Tarver, is responsible for the day-to-day operations and programs of the agency and is a Licensed Master-Level Social Worker. The Clinical Director of Programs, Destini Love, is a Licensed Master-Level Social Worker and has years of professional mental health, housing, and substance abuse field experience. AIDS Alabama employs twenty (20) social workers, all licensed at either Bachelor or Graduate Levels, one (1) licensed counselor, one (1) case manager with a bachelor’s degree and case management certification training through the Ryan White program, and one (1) case manager with a master’s degree and case management certification through the Ryan White program. The Prevention and Education staff bring substantial experience in outreach, counseling, domestic violence, and community health education. The agency has a strong training program mandated by service providers and various certifications required for programs. AIDS Alabama has an established personnel policy with an affirmative action plan, diversity policy, and grievance procedures.