Positive Outlook Program

Cancel the Cuts!
BC Health Ministry marked World AIDS Day by delivering severe funding cuts to HIV/AIDS service directed Community Based Health Organizations (CBHO’s.). 18% of Canada’s estimated total HIV-positive population lives in BC. Given that BC represents approximately 13% of the overall population of Canada; BC has a disproportionate share of the HIV burden. These funding cuts by the government will create a severe public health risk.

Add your voice to the growing numbers of people who want to see these funding cuts canceled. This is a call to action. The BC government must CANCEL THE CUTS!

www.cancelthecuts.org

POP News - April 27, 2009

Doreen Littlejohn was a Plenary Speaker (sponsored by Gilead) at the Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (CANAC) 17th annual conference in Saskatoon. This years' CANAC theme was: The Spirit of HIV/AIDS Nursing: Culture and Caring.

Her presentation was titled: Creating a Circle of Care

Appendix 1: UBC Study Summary

Apprendix 2: Towards Aboriginal Health and Healing

Who we are:

The Positive Outlook Program provides care, treatment, and support services to over 1,500 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, with a strong focus directed towards the First Nations people. The program offers nursing care and outreach services, drug and alcohol counseling, social work services, maximally assisted medication therapy, daily lunches, a weekly food bank, and a rent supplement program.

The Positive Outlook Program model encompasses an approach that addresses the physical, spiritual/traditional, mental, and emotional needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Working within the framework of our model, our primary mandate is to provide treatment services to HIV+ clients. The model bridges gaps between hospital, community and the myriad of specialized services in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Respect for First Nations cultures forms the basic tenet of the program. Flexible approaches recognize the complexity of needs and the individual situation of each client. Components include daily drop-in, food bank, meals, crisis intervention, legal advocacy, counseling, prevention education, maximally assisted medication therapy and on-site access to physicians, nurses, social workers, addictions counselors and outreach workers.

Staff members collaborate within and outside of the program and work with clients in various settings including hospitals. Strong partnerships are in place with all existing AIDS service organizations; this includes a social work liaison position with St. Paul's Hospital 10C ward to provide ongoing consultation and involvement in discharge planning.

Our multidisciplinary team consists of 1 R.N. Coordinator, 1 Administrative Assistant, 1 Registered Medication Nurse, 1 LPN/Mental Health Nurse, 1 part time Social Worker/Case Manager, 1 day a week Elder, 2 Drug and Alcohol Counselors, 3 peer Community Health Counselors (CHCs), and 4 Outreach Workers. We provide seven-day week coverage without relief staffing. Through partnerships with other agencies and a strong volunteer base (consisting of our clients) we are able to offer the necessary services to our community.