The fifth year of the CDC’s PS10-1003 grant began in July with the ambitious goal recruiting 450 African American Men who have sex with Men (AAMSM) to provide HIV testing. Linkage to Care services would then be provided for those who test positive for HIV. The program is off to a great start and gaining momentum, largely because of wonderful volunteers like Lindsey Sower. Lindsey has been a part of the PALSS family of volunteers for two years.
Lindsey has played a significant role in helping to organize World AIDS Day and Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. He has served on the Community Promise Advisory Board, as a Peer Advocate, and has spent countless hours providing community outreach. In July Lindsey volunteered to become the first recruiter for the new Social Networking Strategy. Without hesitation, Lindsey began to recruit AAMSM to be tested. All of Lindsey’s hard work and determination has paid off. His first assignment was to recruit 8 to 10 AAMSM for HIV Testing. Not only did he meet that goal, he exceeded it by more than 100% by recruiting 21 AAMSM in the first month. Lindsey definitely has the 3Ds “Dedication, Determination and the Desire”. Thanks Lindsey Sower for your hard work and extraordinary recruiting efforts.
Year four of the CDC funding cycle wrapped up on June 30, 2014. PALSS staff worked hard to provide Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services (CRCS) and managing Community Promise, a community level HIV/STD prevention program. This intervention focuses on accessing and analyzing information about HIV/STD risk behaviors and influencing factors to help identify target populations to make behavioral changes. Community Promise distributed over 800 role model stories which exceeded the program goal by 150%. During the funding cycle, testing was provide at more than eight different venues testing 40 individuals. Twenty-four clients were enrolled in the CRCS/Clear intervention and more than 52 referrals were made during this funding cycle.