LIFE FOUNDATION

HIV CARE SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 800 HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE (AN AVERAGE CASELOAD OF 100 CLIENTS FOR EACH OF THE EIGHT CASE MANAGERS). THE HIV CARE SERVICES CONSIST OF A CLINICAL DIRECTOR, APRN-RX, COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE, TEAM LEAD, SUPPORTIVE CASE MANAGER, 8.0 FTE MEDICAL CASE MANAGERS, 3.5 FTE PATIENT NAVIGATORS. SIMPLY PUT, THE PURPOSE OF THE LIFE FOUNDATION HIV CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS TO PREVENT FUTURE AIDS-RELATED DEATHS IN HAWAII. EACH ENROLLED CLIENT IS ASSISTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: PHYSICAL HEALTH (ARE YOU UNDER THE CARE OF AN EXPERIENCED AIDS-TREATING PHYSICIAN?); AIDS MEDICATION (DO YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO LIFESAVING AIDS MEDICATIONS AND DO YOU KNOW HOW TO TAKE THEM EFFECTIVELY?); FINANCIAL STABILITY (ARE YOU RECEIVING ALL FORMS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO WHICH YOU ARE ENTITLED, SUCH AS SOCIAL SECURITY OR VA BENEFITS?); HOUSING (ARE YOU LIVING IN SAFE, DECENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUFFICIENT TO HELP YOU LIVE AS HEALTHFULLY AS POSSIBLE?); EMOTIONAL HEALTH (ARE YOU ABLE TO COPE WELL WITH YOUR LIFE WITH AIDS?)

HIV PREVENTION SERVICES. A CORE FUNCTION OF LIFE FOUNDATION SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN THE EARLY 1980S HAS BEEN TO FIGHT THE SPREAD OF HIV AND AIDS IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. THIS HAS INVOLVED VARIOUS STRATEGIES OVER THE YEARS BUT HAS ALWAYS REVOLVED AROUND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THEIR HIV STATUS AND REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE OR MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN BEHAVIORS THAT PUT THEM AT HIGH RISK FOR CONTRACTING HIV. IN THE PAST YEAR, THESE STRATEGIES HAVE INCLUDED HIV RAPID TESTING OF NEARLY 1,500 PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE AS WELL AS REMOTE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT OAHU. OF THESE, APPROXIMATELY 1% WERE POSITIVE FOR HIV. IN ADDITION, LIFE FOUNDATION OUTREACH WORKERS HAVE PERFORMED OVER 26,000 HIV PREVENTION INTERACTIONS AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WITH PRIORITY POPULATIONS BEING MEN WHO HAVAE SEX WITH MEN, HIGH RISK WOMEN AND TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE. NEW PROGRAM, KUA'ANA PROJECT PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES INCLUDING HIV PREVENTION EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICES TO THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.