Wednesday, October 15, 2014

COP 24/7: Coming Around Again

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2014

 
 
 
The last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, October 15th, has been designated as National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). In 2003, NLAAD was established in response to the impact of HIV and AIDS on Hispanic/Latino communities nationwide, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
 
NLAAD is a national community mobilization and social marketing campaign that unites the Hispanic/Latino community in efforts to raise HIV awareness, promotion of HIV testing, prevention and education; in addition to other critical health issues such as Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Tuberculosis. NLAAD is also a capacity building opportunity that aims to improve the ability of community based organizations, faith based congregations, and local health departments to provide HIV testing, prevention and education services through collaboration and partnership opportunities.
 
Since its establishment in 2003, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day has demonstrated to be a successful AIDS Awareness Day. NLAAD has solidified support from 450 partners who together, organized 350 events in 45 states across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
Through a partnership with OraSure Technologies, 5,000 HIV testing kits have been donated to HIV certified testing sites throughout the U.S. and NLAAD efforts were covered by more than 4,000 media outlets.
 
The Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Federation, in conjunction with local, regional and national partners, actively participates in the planning process and has offered capacity building assistance to entities in Arkansas. 
 
 
 
 
COP 24/7 Restructures and Re-tools
 
COP 24/7 has been undergoing a series of test, re-formatting and assessments as the long running portal pivots to become a vital component in a newly emerging outreach initiative to continue to
enhance the usage of social media drivers in the pursuit of messaging concerning HIV and AIDS in Arkansas.
 
Under the concept of Arkansas RAPPS, COP 24/7 will eventually serve as a direct outreach source and information "hub" concerning updated HIV health related information and "wrap around" services that are essential to the care continuum of those living with HIV and AIDS. Although the site has undertaken a new look, further experimentation will be taking place over the next 30 days to ensure the maximum user friendly site. 
 
The concept acronym, "Reaching, Affirming, Positive, Progressive, Systems," seeks to  ensure that social determinants of health are being thoroughly considered from the testing phase, linkage to care and or subsequent retaining an individual in care.
 
Currently the CDC has been encouraging a full arsenal of "social media" driven campaigns and have funded numerous agencies and community based organizations to utilize created campaigns or produced other new media interventions.
 
COP 24/7 has been at the forefront of the social media craze with its daily postings, podcasting, videos, links and using the latest badges or gadgets on the site as well as it associated sites such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. Look for more information on this next level of public engagement on COP 24/7. 
 
 
Call for Abstracts for the 2015 National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities, in Atlanta, Georgia January 15-18, 2015.
The conference planning committee for the 12th Annual National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities request the submission of abstracts for institutes, workshops, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations. Access the online abstract submission application at www.naesm.org or by clicking on the link below.
This year's conference will explore and further the conversation on a plethora of health disparities that are important to us as a community. The theme of the 2015 conference is "Leading the Movement: Pursuing Health Equity through Social Justice." Change is urgently needed in developing policies and providing services for Black men who have sex with men (MSM).
 
The National African American Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities will be a catalyst for change, bringing together and bridging perspectives from various disciplines of public health to address health equity and social justice in order to meet the challenge of improving the health of Black MSM. For more info contact: Damon Johnson -  404-691-8880
 
 
 
 
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