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About ASA
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The mission of AIDS Services of Austin is to enhance the health and
well-being of the community and people affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2012, AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) celebrates 25 years of positive change for people affected by HIV and AIDS in Central Texas.
It
has been 30 years since AIDS first appeared as an emerging disease and
we have
been responding to this evolving epidemic in Central Texas for 25 of
them. As we have grown and become the largest AIDS Services Organization (ASO) in Central Texas, we have come to realize the importance of defining the core
values that govern our work. ASA's core values that we live by are: adaptability, collaboration, diversity, integrity, and respect.
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Download ASA's 2011 Community Impact Report
Click here to Download ASA's Strategic Plan
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At AIDS Services of Austin, we envision an empowered community committed to
healthier lives,
free from stigma, for people affected by HIV and AIDS. With this vision
in mind, we developed ASA's strategic plan in 2011 to guide our future
planning and growth.
There are an estimated 6,000
people living with HIV and AIDS in Central Texas. Approximately one in
five are not aware of thier status. We know when people find out they
are HIV-positive, they are
more likely to get medical care, slowing the progress of the disease,
and are less likely to transmit the virus.
Annually, ASA provides direct care services to
over 1,500 people and HIV prevention education to over 10,000 people in Central Texas. Our core programs include:
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Capital Area AIDS Legal Project
(CAALP)
Recipient of the Texas State Bar’s
2005 Pro Bono Award, CAALP provides free legal assistance to low-income Central
Texans living with HIV in matters such as estate and family planning, access to
public assistance, landlord-tenant and debtor-creditor issues.
Case Management
Connecting people living with HIV
and AIDS to services such as home health care, wellness services, and financial
assistance programs through screening and assessment, case managers assist
individuals with managing living with HIV disease and improving
self-sufficiency. Case Management also provides support to caregivers,
significant others, and family members.
Helping Hands Food Bank
We provide fresh and healthy
food, nutritional supplements and personal care items to individuals living
with HIV disease. A nutritionist assists with healthy menu choices to maximize
nutritional content and manage side effects of the disease or drug regimes.
The Jack Sansing Dental Clinic
The dental clinic was the second
HIV clinic to open in the state and remains one of only four in Texas offering
comprehensive primary dental and oral medical care to people living with HIV.
Paul Kirby Emergency Financial
Assistance Fund
The fund provides limited,
temporary emergency financial assistance for clients to meet basic living
needs, an area of critical need that has seen significant growth recently. The
Octopus Club, a volunteer fundraising group, hosts parties including
ArtErotica, OctoTea Dance and the Oscar Party to provide the fund a dynamic
revenue source.
Prevention
Employs proven HIV prevention programs
(Community PROMISE, VOICES, Q, PATH), including HIV counseling and testing,
prevention case management, and behaviorally targeted interventions for at-risk
populations (men who have sex with men (MSM), substance abusers, communities of
color, and women).
The Q Program
Utilizing the Mpowerment
community-level prevention intervention developed at the University of
California - San Francisco, Q promotes safer sex and other healthy norms within
a community of young men who have sex with men (MSM).
Women Rising Project
A women’s group dedicated to
nurturing leadership, fostering self-empowerment, promoting health, improving
quality of life, breaking down isolation and building community among women
living with HIV.
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