Connections '99 -- Conference for Hotlines

This conference afforded real opportunities to share information and strategies that can be used to not only prevent HIV infection but to offer peer support and treatment information to callers. It was great to meet the folks from the National AIDS Hot Line ran by the CDC. We have relied on these dedicated individuals for so many years. There was much discussion about combining AIDS Hot Lines with STD help lines. This allows opportunities to talk about AIDS to people who call for information about syphilis or gonorrhea for example. But the flip side is that we could loose our AIDS volunteers which are getting more and more scarce as it is.

There were several break out sessions which included Reaching and Understanding Prison Populations, Spanish Speaking Populations, Rural Populations and the Deaf. All of the sessions provided useful information that we can apply here at Women Alive on our Hot Line for positive women.

I feel like I've been to a gazillion conferences since I started this AIDS work and I must say that (besides the women's conferences) I found this conference to be one of the most useful ever. I attribute that to peoples willingness to share not only marketing strategies for services but also funding strategies to keep the Hot Lines going.

Please feel free to call our Peer support and Treatment Information Hot Line at 1.800.554.4876. HIV positive women are available if you just want to talk to another woman in your situation and HIV positive Treatment Educators are available to address any concerns you may have about care and treatments for the virus and symptoms associated with AIDS. Our operating hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11am to 6pm (west coast) and 2pm to 9pm (EST).

For 24 hour assistance call the CDC National AIDS Hot Line 1-800-CDC-INFO. They also have a list of other helplines and resources.