planonstaying:
I recently became involved in a newly formed consumer committee where I live. Toocut tomthe chase we are working on a mission statement. I Thought this might be a good place to seek some examples form other cities. Why reinvent the wheel when perhaps there is one that would only need a bit of modification to suit us already out there. If you are involved and do have one in your local community I'd love to be able to draw ideas from it if you are willing to send me a copy at Iambobel@Gmail.com . I know non disclosure of status and a commitment to diversity and representing the entirety of the community are important to us. Thanks in advance - Bob
leatherman:
our state HIV task Force (SC HIV/AIDS Care Crisis Task Force http://schacctf.org) is putting together a SC HIV/AIDS Strategy similar to the national one that went into implementation about a year ago. You might find some helpful information in the national plan (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/NHAS.pdf) in the "Increasing Access to Care and Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV" and "Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities" sections.
I for one, as Communications Chair for our Task Force, would be interested in what other information you receive and what your committee ends up producing. ;)
planonstaying:
I will get back to you when we finish. I have some ideas on values. one, that the only thing of importance in the room is HIV status and that beyond that there our identities are unimportant and our shared identity the only one that matters. We may all come from different backgrounds, have different barriers to care and prejudices to address, some may harbor some prejudice outside of the room against other groups effected but in that room in that meeting the only identity that matters is HIV Positive consumer wanting to make a difference and all the intolerance judgement games of who has it worse need to be left at the door...it's just saying it nice. I have heard some nasty crap said and the ugliest argument I ever saw was at a men's group over what stigmatized group was the worse victim..... Also the general purpose being to improve services and address gaps in knowledge and serve as a conduit between those infected and service providers to help address opportunities to improve service and breaking down unseen barriers
Recognizing everyone needs to vent at times but that at some point venting becomes counter productive and the goal is change not harnessing anger.
Something about the committee being like a pyramid and if it fails to reflect the entirety of the epidemic then the base is small and the point we can reach for low and only when we reflect the widest representation of the face of Hiv will the pinnacle of we can reach as a group be it's highest....thing is I have an LD and cant write for shit. I could sell water in a monsoon but don't ask me to spell cat the same way twice :( y=that's the kind of flavor I'd like though emphasizing our cooperative relationship with service providers and mutually shared goal of improved services and our commitment that every effected community has to have a voice at the table for real success to occur. I mean empathy only goes so far. I can't understand the fullness of someone Else's experience or challenges. I may care about other groups but I can't really do a great job identifying what their barriers to care are
planonstaying:
Long delay but i wanted to share what we came up with and our non quantifiable quality worsksheet we were tasked to create. It's meant to be displayed publicly and worked on by a team and show customers( the "'cloent" thing doesnt define the relationship properly) their concerns are heard and acted on. We aren't clients we are customers without whom they dont have a job.