National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD)

&National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day

(NHHAD)

Luis Alberto Mares, LMSWDirector of Community Mobilization Programs

Latino Commission on AIDS

LATINO COMMISSION ON AIDS

• A nonprofit organization founded in 1990 to fight HIV/AIDS in Latino communities nationwide

• Services in more than 40 States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

• Multi-disciplinary Staff

• Multicultural/Multilingual Capacity

• Long demonstrated history of building national, regional and local coalitions

• Led by national AIDS advocate Dennis de Leon since 1993 until his passing in 2009

• Since 2009, Guillermo Chacon has spearheaded coalition building, community mobilization & Spanish-language media outreach efforts as the President of the Commission

LATINO COMMISSION ON AIDS

• Five core areas: 1. Capacity Building

Assistance (CBA)2. Disease Prevention and

Health Promotion3. Direct Services / Access to

Care (HIV and Hepatitis testing & navigation services)

4. Health Policy, Advocacy and Community Mobilization

5. Latin Health Disparities Research and Evaluation

• Local, regional, & national level

• Unique community based participatory research model

Latino Commission on AIDS• Why us?

– Because our expertise in HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis– Because we follow Disease Integration of Public

health model– Because we use a Community Mobilization model– Because we convene stakeholders and don’t take

ownership of local campaigns (Grassroots)– Because we hear Clients’ request– Because we have a National perspective

Why educate and mobilize?

• Because of the effects of the epidemics in our communities.

• Because the lack of services.• Because of Social determinants of health.• Because we need to fight Stigma.• Because the existence of misconceptions.

Latinos/Hispanics and HIV• Almost 10,000 Latinos

were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2015.

• Latinos represent 18% of the US population but represent 24% of all new HIV diagnosis.

• Hispanic/Latinos tend to have a late diagnosis of HIV.

• Since the beginning of the epidemic 129,295 Latinos have died from AIDS.

Latinos/Hispanics and Hepatitis• Chronic liver disease is the 7th highest

cause of death in the Latino community

• In 2016 Hispanics were 60 percent more likely to die from Viral hepatitis than whites (OMH)

• Despite having lower rates of hepatitis C, Hispanics were 50 percent more likely to die from that disease, in 2015. (OMH)

• From 2011-2012 acute Hepatitis C rates increased 23.5% among Hispanics

• Hispanic adults 40 years and over are 30% more likely to develop Hepatitis

Our National Awareness Campaigns : NLAAD & NHHAD

NLAAD & NHHAD• Developed by the Latino Commission on AIDS (2003 &

2012)• National campaigns implemented at the local level• NLAAD & NHHAD are collective movements aimed at

educating and mobilizing Latino communities to increase their knowledge about the dangers of HIV and viral hepatitis respectively, and its high prevalence in Hispanic communities.

• Goal: Draw attention to the critical role HIV & viral Hepatitis testing, prevention education, care, and treatment plays in addressing these epidemics.

• NLAAD & NHHAD are community mobilizing campaigns which foster a diverse network of agencies and stakeholders, implemented at the local, regional and national level, aimed at educating and mobilizing Latino/Hispanic communities to increase their knowledge on the impact of HIV and viral hepatitis.

NLAAD & NHHAD continued

Community Mobilization is…

Community mobilization is a capacity-building process through whichcommunity individuals, groups, andorganizations plan, carry out, and evaluate activities on a participatory and sustained basis to achieve anagreed upon goal, either on their own

initiative or stimulated by others.

NLAAD & NHHAD are National social marketing/messaging campaignsimplemented every October 15th and May 15th respectively to raise HIV & viral hepatitis awareness, prevention, testing, treatment education and patient advocacy in the Latino community.

NLAAD & NHHAD continued

Social Marketing/Messaging: What is it?

• Promotes a voluntary behavior change↓

• By targeting a specific audience↓

• In order to improve the personal well being and that of society.

• It is a planned process for influencing social change. Social is a research-driven approach to behavior change.

• Because it is action-driven, evaluation of its effect is part of the campaign. No campaign can claim success without evaluation.

NLAAD & NHHAD: CORE ELEMENTS

1. Partners:- Local- Regional- National

2.Conference calls: Planning3.Development and dissemination of

materials – i.e. campaign kit, website, messaging, images

4. Webinars, trainings, forum for discussion, technical assistance5. Events

1. PARTNERS• The NLAAD & NHHAD network (partners)

participate in the developing of campaign materials – such as the campaign kit, website, and, all campaign messaging and images.

• Communication is key – national NLAAD & NHHAD partners convene via conference call once a month prior to the launch of the campaigns

• NLAAD & NHHAD members are able to use all campaign messages and tailor them as needed to address specific community needs.

• Materials and trainings are provided

2. CONFERENCE CALLS• Conference calls serve as a forum for collaboration,

networking and to seek information on how other agencies organize specific events.

• Technical assistance and capacity building is provided.

3. DEVELOPING ANS DISSEMINATION OF MATERIALS: NLAAD

NLAAD PREVIOUS CAMPAIGNS

NLAAD WEBSITE

NLAAD INFOGRAPHICS

NLAAD EVENTS

3. DEVELOPING AND DISSEMINATION OF MATERIALS: NHHAD

NHHAD WEBSITE

NHAAD 2018

4. WEBINARS

NLAAD 2017 Webinars

1. HIV and LatinxCommunities

2. Federal Response to Ending AIDS / Minor Consent and the Path Towards Ending the Epidemic in NYS / HIV Criminalization and the Latinx Community.

3. Social Media and NLAAD4. Nutrition and HIV

NHHAD 2018 Webinars

1. Community Voice on Hep C2. Viral Hepatitis Overview3. Updated National Viral

Hepatitis Action Plan 2017-2020

4. Latinos and Hepatitis C: Where we are and what we need to do.

5. OMHRC Efforts around Viral Hepatitis C among Latinos

NLAAD & NHHAD Community

Mobilization Model

Goal: Building community capacity to raise awareness, promote HIV & viral hepatitis testing, and connecting Hispanics/Latinos to health care

Build Community Partnerships/Leadership: Create Planning Committee, Ownership, Consensus

Develop a Community Plan: Community Assessment, How to Prepare for NLAAD /

NHHAD

Implement Community Action Plan: material, marketing, collaboration, media, elected officials

Evaluate Effectiveness: revisit goals, successes, challenges, outcomes

Goal: Building community capacity to raise awareness, promote HIV & Viral Hepatitis testing, and connecting Hispanics/Latinos to

health care

Community-wide changes in norms and behaviors take a

long time to develop.

Effective, sustainable, and ongoing community-level HIV and viral hepatitis education to confront stigma and bring

people to care.All members of a community are potential change agents.

Build Community Partnerships/Leadership: Create Planning Committee, Ownership, Consensus

Identify additional stake holders: Elected officials, celebrities, small business owners, Health Departments, media, dance companies, volunteers.

Identify core community members for your Planning Committee:

•People living with HIV/viral hepatitis

•Community Educators

•Community Based Organizations

•Communities of Faith

•ESL Programs

Identify existing efforts: Hospitals, clinics, community health centers, existing coalitions, human service providers, colleges.

Develop a Community Plan: Community Assessment, How to Prepare for NLAAD & NHHAD

•Formative Assessment

•Develop and Pilot Marketing Materials

•Prepare a Budget

•Network (Contact the media, corporations, pharmaceuticals, ask for sponsorship and funds!!)

•What do you hope to accomplish on your awareness day? (things to consider)

• Community Participation-Equal Partners

When planning community-level interventions it is critical to learn about the communities' unique characteristics. Start with the community’s priorities rather than externally imposing an agenda.

(what are your goals?)

Implement Community Action Plan: material, marketing, collaboration, media, elected officials

Collaboration can maximize exposure to prevention messages and successful NLAAD / NHHAD activities in your region.

•Material distribution

•Promote your event

•Raise awareness or provide access to HIV testing

•Engage the community

•Invite elected officials

•Send your press release/media advocacy

Evaluate Effectiveness: revisit goals, successes, challenges, outcomes

•Quality assurance (materials and process)

•Assess campaign outcomes

•Planning Committee collaboration work

•Analyze key stakeholders and community response

•Analyze and revise campaign as needed

•Report to Stakeholder

•Training