Being Positive (CARE) Program

Treatment Advocacy and Adherence Program

• Ric Parish Library Hours at 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, Suite 620.
• Contact us at (213)553-1838

APAIT’s treatment education and adherence services provide up-to-date information about HIV disease and related illnesses, treatment options, available clinical trials, side effects management and self-care principles to persons with HIV disease. These services are designed to assure that individuals with HIV disease have an understanding about the disease, have knowledge about available HIV/AIDS services and how to access them, and are supported in their efforts to advocate on their own behalf.

Scope of Services
HIV/AIDS treatment education and adherence services are provided by our caring and compassionate staff in a culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate manner. Services provided include:

Client Education Contact
Such contact is defined as a one-on-one encounter in person, conducted on or off-site, or by telephone between the client and the treatment advocate involving educational activities that are consistent with the client’s treatment education service plan. HIV treatment medications, adherence and resistance concepts, alternative/complementary treatments, side effect management, reading and monitoring lab results, basic self-care/harm reduction concepts. Summaries of all contacts are to be entered as progress notes in the client’s file.

Client Support Contact
Such contact is defined as a one-on-one encounter in person, conducted on or off-site, or by telephone between the client and the treatment advocate involving activities consistent with the treatment education service plan, but which are not primarily educational in nature. Such activities include but are not limited to: client escorts to medical appointments and emotional support associated with treatment education.

Treatment Roundtable
A monthly HIV treatment roundtable is held in conjunction with the Self-Help program at one of the Day Room sessions conducted each week. During a treatment roundtable, HIV medical care professionals provide information on topics related to HIV treatment management that includes but is not limited to: recently approved medications, future treatment modalities, clinical trials etc.

Treatment Support Groups
Treatment support groups are conducted each week after the Day Room sessions. These activities would provide the clients with the opportunity to share the difficulties they experience taking HIV medications and gain the support of others who have also encountered similar issues, yet were unable to surmount the problem.

Medical Updates, Training Sessions, and Seminars
Treatment advocates must attend monthly updates on HIV treatment topics offered as medical updates, training sessions or seminars. Participation by treatment advocates in these activities is crucial to keep abreast of the most recent issues related to HIV health care, to assure the information provided to clients is accurate.