Ohio: Grant to Help Prevent HIV/AIDS

The Youngstown City Board of Health received $300,602 from the Ohio Department of Health to provide HIV/AIDS prevention services in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties this year, the same amount as last year. Health Commissioner Neil Altman said the funding need is greater, since many youths remain unconvinced AIDS is their concern.

The city Health Department uses the grant to contract with agencies and individuals providing AIDS services, said Altman. And while AIDS may have leveled off, Altman says the number of local people with HIV has grown as people on medications live longer.

If people are just aware of the AIDS figures, they might become complacent and risk engaging in unprotected sex, he said. "The sad part is that we [in the health department] are older, and the younger people won't listen to us," said Altman. "We need to hire a peer as an AIDS educator."

Contracts approved include one for Meridian Services, for an outreach worker/educator ($36,555); Patricia F. McIlveen, of Hubbard, who will provide the AIDS Regional Advisory Group with secretarial and planning activities ($15,600); Felicia Alexander, of Youngstown, who will provide HIV/AIDS educator services through various programs and activities ($11,488); and $7,811 each for an HIV/AIDS counselor or educator at Youngstown-based Associated Neighborhoods Centers, the Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana and Warren's City Health Department. The board also received a $41,141 state grant for its STD program.

Back to other news for January 11, 2007