ACRIA LAUNCHES SENIOR HIV OUTREACH PROGRAM (SHOP)

During the first half of 2009, ACRIA has been conducting an intensified outreach and testing program aimed at older New Yorkers in communities of color. The goal is to heighten awareness among people over the age of 50, both HIV-positive and -negative, of the risk of HIV transmission and how to avoid it, and to encourage people to get tested.

Funded under the City Council Communities of Color Initiative, the Senior HIV Outreach Program (SHOP) complements and works with our other City Council-funded older adults programming. In the target communities, senior peer advocates working who are part of the Community PROMISE portion of the latter program are engaging older adults one-on-one at meals and social events at senior and community centers.

Through frequent personal contact and distribution of educational materials and condoms, these advocates spread the prevention message and inform other older New Yorkers of the resources available to them. The advocates stress the importance of people knowing their HIV status, and direct them to testing centers run by our partners, Gay Men’s Health Crisis and Hispanic AIDS Forum.

SHOP represents the third time that ACRIA has received a grant under New York’s Communities of Color Initiative.