Communities of Color - H.O.P.E. Alliance
SISTA
Healthcare Forums
Prevention Case Management
H.O.P.E. Alliance: HIV/AIDS Outreach & Prevention Education
ACR's Communities of Color (COC) Initiative, named H.O.P.E. Alliance, provides outreach and HIV prevention services to young heterosexual women and men of color in inner-city neighborhoods in Syracuse and Utica. Funded by the New York State Department of Health/AIDS Institute, H.O.P.E. Alliance allows ACR to continue its long-standing efforts at combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in communities of color.
H.O.P.E. Alliance is driven by a partnership of church leaders, health and human service organizations, primary health providers, trained peers, and community members in Onondaga and Oneida counties. Through this partnership, ACR provides intensive prevention counseling and referral services to HIV negative individuals engaged in high-risk behaviors who face domestic violence, homelessness, mental health and/or addiction issues.
SISTA
Nearly 80% of new cases of HIV in NYS are in communities of color - most notable - among women of color. In response, ACR implemented SISTA - CDC's nationally used intervention strategy.
Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS
The SISTA projects is a social-skills training intervention for African American women aimed at reducing HIV sexual risk behavior and increasing condom use.
SISTA convenes small groups of women in five two-hour sessions. The sessions are gender specific and culturally relevant and include behavioral skills practice, group discussions, lectures, role-playing, prevention video viewing, and take-home exercises.SISTA uses cultural and general appropriate materials to acknowledge pride and enhance self-worth in being an African American woman.SISTA teaches women will learn how to communicate that she cares for her partner and needs to protect herself.The SISTA project is for heterosexually active African American women, 18 years of age and older.For more information call 800.475.2430.
SISTA GRADUATES
Margaret and Anessa, mother and daughter, are recent SISTA graduates.Margaret 
Mims, left, is HIV positive because, as a young woman she trusted a man who lied to her about his HIV status. “I would have been more assertive about my body,” Margaret said. “But women didn’t use to insist on sexual safety.”
Now Margaret and other SISTA graduates know they have the right and the obligation to see to their own sexual health. They have the right words to back up their new attitude.
SISTA is an awesome experience for women because they can talk about the barriers African American women face in their private lives. From everyday issues to private ones, like how to negotiate condom use in “the heat of the moment.”
“I wish they had these classes a long time ago,” Margaret said.
SISTA is a peer education program for women who are determined to take action in the fight against AIDS. First piloted in 2000, ACR received support to continue this important effort through its Communities of Color (COC) initiative named H.O.P.E. Alliance. The SISTA program provides training and support to equip women with information and skills they need to provide effective HIV prevention messages to friends, family members, and fellow community members.
This unique program trains women to share the message of HIV prevention to other women in their neighborhoods. Backed by free comprehensive training and support, peer educators can earn a stipend for their efforts. Educators may be invited to speak at meetings or distribute materials in businesses, in salons, coffee houses and shops.
Ways to help / get involved:
- Share lifesaving information with family, friends, and community members - ACR will support you.
- Invite an educator to speak at your church group, schools, or community meetings.
- Distribute materials in your place of business or other public locations - ACR will provide the supplies.
- Do community outreach in your neighborhood - ACR offers training and tips on how to engage listeners.
- Keep the dialogue going - bring family and friends to SISTA Community Dinners.
To read a news story about SISTA, click here.
Health Care Forums
AIDS Community Resources periodically conducts health care forums targeted to educate certain at risk populations. African American and Hispanic persons represent one quarter of the U.S. population and account for more than half of new AIDS cases reported to the CDC.
- HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American men ages 35-44.
- African American and Hispanic children make up 80% of pediatric AIDS cases.
- 78% of HIV-infected women are minorities and most become infected through heterosexual transmission.
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The CDC calls the HIV/AIDS epidemic a serious threat to the Hispanic community. Hispanics make up 14% of the U.S. population, but they account for 20% of new diagnoses.
ACR offers two programs designed to educate health care providers.
To learn more about Do Your Part. Ask, or 2 Questions – 15 seconds - Save a life
call 800.475.2430
Prevention Case Management
The first thing a person newly diagnosed with HIV needs to do is see a medical provider and begin treatment. Prompt treatment makes a big difference in how much impact HIV/AIDS will have on your life and health. Your future sexual or injection drug use behavior could directly impact the health of your partner or partners. How do you reduce the risk of spreading HIV? Our trained professionals have the skills and the answers you need.
The goal of prevention case management services is to empower individuals to take charge of their lives and to connect them with the resources they need to make healthy life decisions (e.g., access to medical care, public assistance, housing assistance, domestic violence services, financial benefits, substance abuse treatment).