Syringe Services Programs: Effective for HIV Prevention

Sterile needles ready for exchange

According to the latest CDC Vital Signs report, only 1 in 4 people who inject drugs (PWID) in 22 US cities reported getting all their needles from sterile sources, and one-third (33%) reported sharing a needle within the past year. Sharing needles and syringes is a direct route of transmission for HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses.

In This Issue

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While HIV/AIDS is global in reach it is extremely local in impact. People get infected (or not) in local communities. They get tested (or not) in local communities. They get treated (or not) in local communities. Everytihng about HIV happens in local communities. Any effort to end the epidemic has to be centered in local communities.

BTAN Charlotte Bridging the Gap Between Church and Community

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Jeffrey Edwards Knight, Solita Jeffries, Darrin K. Johnson, Hannah Stutts, and Jaysen Foreman of BTAN Charlotte

Stigma remains a major challenge when it comes to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but not only can the faith community play a huge role in reducing it, but many spiritual communities also stand ready and willing to lend a hand, said panelists at an AIDS 2016 Local Update event in Charlotte, N.C.

Forging Connections: BTAN Melbourne Engages the Faith-Based Community

John Curry and Yolanda Price of BTAN Melbourne

Creating a fruitful partnership between HIV/AIDS advocacy groups and faith-based organizations can be tricky. However, the Melbourne, Fla., chapter of the Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN) has worked side by side with Kingdom Life Church of God in Christ to educate the local community about the epidemic and how to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. In a roundtable discussion, BTAN Melbourne co-chairs John Curry and Yolanda Price and Kingdom Life Church of God in Christ faith-committee leader Pastor Sean Benjamin Brown share their thoughts on why their alliance has worked.

BTAN Dallas: Boosting AIDS Literacy for Black Women and Girls

Mukamtagara Jendayi of BTAN Dallas

Thanks to the Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN), Black Americans living with HIV/AIDS are getting linked to care, and the Black community is becoming more knowledgeable about the science and treatment of HIV. Women, however, continue to face many challenges when taking control of their health. Mukamtagara Jendayi, deputy director of the Afiya Center, a reproductive-justice organization for women of color, is starting a new BTAN chapter in Dallas. She shares how she is working to ensure that women and girls aren't left behind.