The regular monthly HIV Mental Health Task Force (HIV MHTF) meeting is on Wednesday, 08/09/17 from 9:30am to 11:30am. This is our first meeting of 2017, so we hope to see everyone there.
Here is the agenda: 08-09-17 MHTF agenda
“The Latino Commission on AIDS, in partnership with the
Hispanic Health Network, is committed to promoting culturally
responsive, rigorous research designed to influence policy and
practice. Drawing on 27 years of experience in the field, we are
working to elucidate the varied factors that affect the health of
Hispanics/Latinos in the United States and U.S. territories, with
special attention to the ongoing scourge of HIV/AIDS. Through
research as well as social programs, the Commission is dedicated to
reducing new HIV infections, unravelling the social determinants
of health and identifying the unmet needs of Latinos living with
HIV infection”
Full Report in Spanish and English: olvidados-older-latinos-hiv-2017
The regular monthly HIV Mental Health Task Force (HIV MHTF) meeting is on Wednesday, 07/12/17 from 9:30am to 11:30am.
Here is the agenda: HIV TASK FORCE AGENDA-JUL 2017
A message to Universal Condom Work Group Members and Supporters:
Recently I received a troubling email from one of our colleagues at the AIDS Foundation Chicago, Jessica Terlikowski. She expressed that she and her colleagues had a concerning call with Veru Health Care. Veru Health Care is the company that bought Female Health Company; they manufacture FC2, the only FDA approved female condom currently available in the United States. Jessica shared that Veru Healthcare is working toward revoking the commercial availability of FC2. This means no longer being able to buy FC2 through Walgreen’s stores, CVS, or online pharmacy retailers. Additionally the company is looking to move into a prescription based model. A prescription is not currently required for FC2 use but by moving to this new model Veru hopes they can increase the price point to $119.47 for a box of 12 condoms (yes you read that correctly). I have also learned that Veru will no longer rely on distributers like Total Access Group to sell FC2 to Public Health Departments, CBOs and clinics. Veru Healthcare will move to distribute FC2 in-house via sales representatives.
The reasons given for their turn, they claim are due to the lack of profitability in the retail market. The company claims they aren’t making a sizable profit from the commercial sale of FC2 and they need to make changes. However, during the call they stated they remain committed to ensuring FC2 is available to those seeking them.
The Universal Condom Work Group is disheartened by these recent findings. We understand the difference between access and ease of access for our communities. When individuals have the ease of access to effective pregnancy/ STI prevention, they are more likely to engage in using them. The Universal Condom Work Group has seen progress from our labor in the past two years. I have seen FC2 availability increase as more community clinics and health programs obtain FC2 for their clients. Most recently Los Angeles County Department of Public Health moved to include female condoms in the upcoming The Los Angeles County Comprehensive HIV Plan. This non gender specific inclusion of ‘internal condoms’ ensures those engaging in receptive sexual activities have increased prevention options. To date, over 200 healthcare providers, public health investigators, nurses, and health educators in Los Angeles County have attended the trainings the Work Group has hosted. In turn they share the benefits of FC2 with their staff and clients. However there is so much more work to be done.
As most of you know I have been at the forefront of this fight for Los Angeles, beating the drum highlighting a tool that provides dual protection, can enhance sexual pleasure, and empowers receptive partners to take the lead in protecting themselves.
The proposed rollback of availability would be a barrier to those needing FC2 the most. There is additional concern that at the proposed cost, insurers would be less likely to cover FC2, leaving women without premium insurance unable to obtain them if desired. Providers might be less likely to discuss them as an option if they know clients will be unable to actually get their hands on them.
Having the power of choice allows different people the ability to make the best decisions for themselves in any given situation. I believe women and any other person engaging in receptive intercourse should have HIV/STI prevention options available to them that are affordable, easy to access and suitable to their personal needs. I agree with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the National Female Condom Coalition that “these decisions are outrageous and unacceptable as they take a critical prevention option out of the hands of both women living with and vulnerable to HIV.” The advocates of the National Female Condom Coalition are organizing a collective response to these proposed changes. Your voices will be a critical addition as we move forward. I will continue to keep you abreast of developments as they roll out.
Additionally as these changes take shape, I encourage you to procure as many FC2 for your patients and clients before any price changes take effect or we begin to experience difficulty in getting them from our distributors. Contact me for assistance in finding FC2.
Additional article: http://www.thebody.com/content/80020/female-condoms-used-by-women-and-men-for-hiv-preve.htmlHi
Roxanne Lewis
Chair, Universal Condom Work Group L.A.
Program Coordinator, Healthy Alternatives for Reducing the Risk for HIV Project- JWCH Institute Inc
(213) 253-8245
Today, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury are publishing FAQs that solicit comments on how to improve disclosure under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and other laws, as required by the 21st Century Cures Act. As part of the solicitation of comments, the departments are also releasing and seeking comments on a draft model form that participants, enrollees, or their authorized representatives could use to request information from their health plan about nonquantitative treatment limitations that affect their mental health or substance use disorder benefits.
View the FAQs [PDF – 110 KB]View the Model Form [PDF – 79 KB]
Mobile Apps | Publications | Contact Us
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
5600 Fishers Lane | Rockville, MD 20857
1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) | www.samhsa.gov | Privacy
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.
Hello, All:
At yesterdays HIV Mental Health Task Force meeting we decided that we would use the last 1/2 hour of the meeting every month to work on building up a small, existing SAMHSA LGBT curriculum into a very substantial “skin” which could be applied to any existing treatment intervention, making the intervention specific to each of the following populations (terminology to be a major part of the curriculum development, but for purposes of explanation) lesbian, gay, non-gay MSM, bisexual men, bisexual women, trans* men, trans* women.
We have a googledrive folder which you can accessed by anyone who is interested in working on this project. We will be able to share links to related articles, best practices etc., and we can also wordsmith the existing product.
If you are interested to work on this project, please let us know.
On August 24th, I am providing a full-day training on the curriculum as-is. You are welcome to attend the training (register here: https://hivdatf.org/trainings/lgbt/) to get an idea of what we have to work with.
The regular monthly HIV Mental Health Task Force (HIV MHTF) meeting is on Wednesday, 06/14/17 from 9:30am to 11:30am. This is our first meeting of 2017, so we hope to see everyone there.
Here is the agenda: 06-2017 agenda
Click in the link to see a livestream from Coping with Hope:
PLENARY TALKS:
BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
Dear Colleague,
On October 11th, 2015 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion to hire a consultant to assess all county departments with regard to their work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. On March 28, 2017, Khush Cooper & Associates, in collaboration with the Williams Institute at UCLA, submitted our report on the Los Angeles County LGBTQ Youth Preparedness Scan to the Office of Child Protection. The report is available by clicking here.
You are cordially invited to attend a Stakeholder Convening where we will discuss implications contained in the report and begin a community conversation about how we can work together to prevent LGBTQ youth from becoming disproportionately represented in the Los Angeles child welfare system and experiencing disparities.
This event will be held at the Center at Cathedral Plaza on June 16th, 2017 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.
Location:
Center at Cathedral Plaza
555 W. Temple St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Parking:
Self-paid parking $10
The parking structure is located directly under the conference center. Entrances off both Temple and Hill Street.
Agenda:
8:30 am – 9:00 am Registration and Breakfast
(Buffet features fresh fruit cocktail, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, pastries, butter and preserves, orange juice, coffee and teas)
9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:15 am – 10:15 am Presentation
10:15 am – 10:30 am Break
10:30 am – 11:30 am Table Discussions
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Report Out and Wrap Up
Kindly RSVP by June 7th, 2017 by completing the information below and replying to supportoffice@khushcooperassociates.com.
Last Name:_______________________
First Name:_______________________
Organization/County Department:_________________________
Role/Title:________________________
Phone Number:___________________
Your presence and partnership for this important conversation is greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards.
Khush Cooper
The regular monthly HIV Mental Health Task Force (HIV MHTF) meeting is on Wednesday, 05/10/17 from 9:30am to 11:30am. This is our first meeting of 2017, so we hope to see everyone there.
Here is the agenda: 05-2017 agenda
05-10-17 HIVMHTF Dr Moe [pdf]
Written by Susan Forrest
Leave a comment