Los Angeles County HIV Mental Health Task Force

To:  Community Stakeholders and Partners:

The draft Los Angeles County Comprehensive HIV Plan (CHP) is now available for public comment.  A copy of the draft CHP may be viewed at www.hiv.lacounty.gov and is also attached.  Comments must be submitted in writing to hivcomm@lachiv.org by 5pm on August 20, 2016.  Thank you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            

August 3, 2016

• [pdf]  PH16-045 Southern CA Meningococcal Disease Outbreak Continues

Meningococcal Disease Outbreak Continues in Southern California

Vaccinations Urged for Gay, Bisexual Men, HIV-Infected Persons

SACRAMENTO – Due to an ongoing outbreak of meningococcal disease in Southern California, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is urging all gay and bisexual men and HIV-infected persons in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties be vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

Since March, 22 cases of meningococcal disease have been confirmed in an outbreak in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, including several cases in the past week. Two other cases are currently under investigation. To date, two patients have died as a result of their infections. Most of the patients have been gay or bisexual men, and while…

Dear community health advocates,

The UCLA LGBT Center, Latino Medical Student Association, Medical Gay and Lesbian Association, and Black and Latino AIDS project are banding together to form the UCLA HIV Counseling and Testing Coalition. Our goal is to provide UCLA students of color from communities disproportionately affected by HIV with the opportunity to serve as HIV test counselors throughout LA county so that they will see their potential as advocates and become future leaders in the field.

We have up to thirty students that we are looking to link with agencies as soon as possible so that they can begin volunteering in mid-September. Please email me at jonathangomez@mednet.ucla.edu for more information if you are interested in receiving volunteer services and supporting our cause!

Thank you for your collaboration.

Warm regards,

Jonathan

—

Jonathan Gomez
M.D. Candidate, 2019
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
jonathangomez@mednet.ucla.edu
209-605-1634

12-12-16 Racism and HIV Save the Date [pdf]

The City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator’s Office, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, APLA Health and Wellness, UCLA Center for HIV Prevention and Treatment Services, the Los Angeles County HIV Drug and Alcohol Task Force (HIV DATF), East Los Angeles Women’s Center, REACH LA, JWCH Institute, and AIDS United, will be hosting an event: “Addressing the Intersection of Racism and HIV” on Monday, December 12, 2016 at the California Endowment 8:30a.m.-3:30p.m.

The purpose of the event is to address the impact of race and racism in access, engagement and retention in HIV services beyond the lens of health disparities. At the end of the event, participants will be able to:

• Describe the impact of mass incarceration on communities of color, particularly African American communities, and its impact on health outcomes, that includes disease…

Mollie was a hero to all of fighting for social justice and basic human dignity here in Los Angeles. All strength to her partner, our friend Ariana Manov.

and hear from Mollie herself:

Dear SAPC providers,

This is to alert you regarding a concerning outbreak of potentially fatal meningitis that has recently surfaced in Los Angeles County, with a disproportionate impact on gay and bisexual men. Given the association between substance use and compromised health, the high-risk population we serve, and the fact that our treatment settings may at times occur in enclosed settings with groups of individuals, it is important that SAPC providers be aware of this outbreak and available resources and recommendations (please see below).

The Dept of Public Health Acute Communicable Disease Control website contains more information about this outbreak and available resources, including meningococcal vaccination clinics: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/mening.htm

Additionally, the Los Angeles Times has published an editorial on this outbreak that your staff and clients may also find useful: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-meningitis-lgbt-20160707-snap-story.html

Many thanks for your efforts to ensure the health and wellness of our communities.

Best,

Gary

Gary Tsai, M.D.
Medical Director and Science Officer
Substance Abuse Prevention and Control
County of Los Angeles…