California: BAY Positives Gets Grant for Live-Chat Program

Earlier this month, the youth HIV group Bay Area Young Positives received a $2,500 eBay Foundation grant to support the live-chat HIV prevention feature on its Web site. Launched in April, the program allows health educators to immediately reach youths who have questions about HIV, are HIV-positive, or are at risk of infection.

"We want to be able to get to the people at the time they need help," said Catherine Toyooka, BAY Positives' program director. Half of new HIV infections occur in people ages 15-24, many of whom lack prevention knowledge and do not perceive they are at risk, said Toyooka.

The live-chat format is designed to be a comfortable, confidential way to talk with trained health educators who can approach questions in a sex-positive, non-judgmental way. The feature is available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To date, the live-chat feature averages six hits per week, Toyooka said.

"I always see shopping Web sites where you can ask a question and get an instant answer," said Toyooka. "I thought, why can't we do that with our services?"

The group's executive director, Curtis Moore, and Toyooka credited Andy Veluswami, an eBay employee and former board member, with helping secure the grant.

People under age 26 can also drop in to the agency's center to speak with a peer counselor. Most staff members are either HIV-positive or have been through the testing process many times.

"We want to de-mystify the process of getting tested," said Toyooka. "Getting tested for HIV can be a very isolating experience, and many people do not want to tell their family or friends they are doing it." As an incentive, BAY Positives offers young people a $5 gift card to test and $10 in cash when they learn their result.

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