September 14, 2006
What's New at AHC?
AHC's summer has been busy, project-filled, and productive. We have newly redesigned web site -- more visually engaging and more accessible than ever for individuals with disabilities. Please take a moment to look around and e-mail us with your thoughts at info
ahc.org.
In addition, staff have been hard at work on a variety of projects, trainings, and conference presentations.
The United staff have held several UCAN meetings over the summer; Jonathan Sherwood developed the curriculum and led the August HOPWA 101 and Reporting Updates training in Hartford, Conn.; and Maria Orsini has been working on two separate presentations for local and regional conferences. The first presentation is for September 13, 2006, is co-sponsored by the Latin American Health Institute and Center for Community Health, Education, and Research, and a will focus on housing HIV-positive immigrants; the second, on the intersection of HIV and Domestic Violence resources and outcomes, is for the ProVisions conference in Connecticut on October 6. AHC staff have also been at work to develop the FY 06-07 training calendar, which includes regular trainings such as the Standards of Care and Policy and Procedure Development and Housing Advocacy 101 trainings. Some of our other trainings that are scheduled for later this year include:
- legal issues and HIV housing (CORIs, immigration, tenant selection, and due process)
- dealing with dual diagnoses, such as mental health, substance use, and HIV
- tools for implementing a harm reduction-oriented model in HIV housing.
In addition, the TA staff are hard at work on drafting two national publications: a HOPWA grantee monitoring guide and a publication highlighting best practices for the HOPWA program. Look out for these publications in 2007.
On the housing development side, specialist Amy Davidson has provided technical assistance to rehab a 13-unit supported housing facility in Boston for women with HIV, substance abuse, and mental illness and their children. Amy also provided TA to develop a new transitional housing facility in Boston with 15 units for families, 7 of which will be set-aside for families infected/affected by HIV/AIDS.
And the meetings! Oh, the meetings: the staff continues its ongoing involvement in the Mass Rehab Commission's Medicaid/Medicare project "Transforming Systems"; AHC serves on DTA's Homeless Management Information Systems steering committee and chairs the "Sensitive Data" subcommittee; and Maria Orsini participates in the Boston area Service Coordination Collaborative of HIV providers groups and was recently accepted onto the Ryan White Title I Planning Council.
Interested in any of the trainings, conferences or meetings described here? Please contact us at 617-927-0088 or info
Return to AHC News/Advocacy →