Women's Initiative
MEET THE WOMEN'S INITIATIVE TEAM
FROM RIGHT TO LEFT:
Layonda Smith-Reyes, right, Women’s Initiative Supervisor, is a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve, 344th Combat Hospital and has a Masters of Professional Studies (Human Resources) from Stony Brook University. She can also communicate with our Spanish speaking clients. Her civilian work experience includes program management with the Arc Oneida-Lewis NYSARC Chapter where she developed and implemented residential habilitation plans. She volunteered with AIDS Community Resources as a Youth Peer Educator.
Megan Lee, Women’s Advocate for Syracuse, spent time in Haiti addressing issues of domestic violence and economic opportunity. Megan also participated in delivering health services and encouraging HIV/AIDS testing for pregnant women in the remote areas of Haiti through a mobile unit. She comes to AIDS Community Resources from the Food Bank of Central New York where she administered child nutrition programs at 24 sites and advocated on hunger and poverty issues with local, state, and federal officials. She speaks some French and Haitian Creole and has degrees in Anthropology and English.
Jennifer Bahr, Women’s Advocate for Watertown, comes to ACR from The Salvation Army where she was a Mental Health Resident Manager at a 15-bed shelter. She has world wide experience working with homeless women, many with substance abuse and infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis; directing the care of people with mental illness and children with autism. As a DC-3 Pilot she delivered food, clothing, and medicine to children, adolescents, and adults. She is presently studying for a degree in Human Services at Columbia College.
Michelle Murray, Women’s Advocate for Utica, has two Masters degrees: in Science, Education Administration and Policy Studies; and in Arts in Women’s Studies from the State University of New York University at Albany. In her work with Rape Crisis Services, she provided crisis counseling, legal and personal advocacy, and education to victims of sexual and physical violence often from disclosure through prosecution. In collaboration with community agencies she helped provide a “one stop shop” for victims of child abuse.
WOMEN'S INITIATIVE - NEW PROGRAM
AIDS Community Resources has been chosen to implement a New York State Department of Health Women’s Initiative to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the Central, Northern, and Mohawk Valley regions of New York State. The program, to begin this summer, will offer HIV/STI prevention and related services for women ages 18-65.
Because of the high impact on African Americans, ACR’s Women’s Initiative will place special emphasis on reaching heterosexual African American women at high risk for HIV/STIs.
AIDS Community Resources has hired four Women’s Health Advocates to implement the program in Syracuse, Utica, and Watertown. The Advocates will utilize the Safety First Outreach mobile units in Syracuse, Utica, and community settings in Watertown to counsel individuals about risk reduction; provide evidence-based group interventions; and provide confidential HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea screenings in the mobile units and in approved community settings.
The Women’s Initiative is funded through a yearly $193,735 allotment from the New York State Department of Health. Its goal is to decrease the rate of HIV/STIs among women living in Syracuse, Utica, and Watertown, New York, and their male partners.
PROGRAM SERVICES:
Community Street-based outreach: face-to-face risk reduction sessions, distribution of HIV/AIDS, STI, and hepatitis written materials and supplies, skills-building demonstrations, and referrals.
Individual Risk Reduction Counseling: Comprehensive one-on-one risk HIV/STI reduction counseling sessions to reduce risk for the acquisition and/or transmission of HIV/STIs.
Educational Groups (Utica and Syracuse): A six-session intervention addressing influences that place women at risk for HIV/STIs.
Educational Groups (Watertown): A single-session, video-based HIV/STI prevention session to encourage condom use and negotiation skills.
Rapid oral HIV testing and urine chlamydia and gonorrhea screening available at ACR offices and designated community-based locations and at street-outreach sites in Syracuse, Utica, and Watertown.