Business Responds to AIDS/Labor Responds to AIDS

STOP AIDS: It’s Everyone’s Business is modeled after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Business Responds to AIDS/Labor Responds to AIDS (BRTA/LRTA) program. BRTA/LRTA programs help businesses and labor organizations respond to AIDS in the workplace and the community. These programs are based on building partnerships among businesses, labor unions, health departments, community-based organizations and government agencies to promote the development of comprehensive HIV/AIDS programs. The BRTA/LRTA program is comprised of five components: workplace policy development, supervisor/labor leader training, employee education, family education, and community involvement. STOP AIDS: It’s Everyone’s Business incorporates all five components to engage businesses across the state to join in the fight to STOP the spread of HIV/AIDS. It is a recognized fact that community business leaders and businesses have tremendous influence within their communities. BRTA/LRTA allows health departments to utilize these relationships in their HIV prevention efforts.

In 2007, the Miami-Dade County Health Department (MDCHD) Office of HIV/AIDS implemented the “STOPPING AIDS is Everyone’s Business” campaign. The yearlong campaign was part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Business Responds to AIDS/Labor Responds to AIDS (BRTA/LRTA) program. Miami-Dade County was one of six cities that participated in local Business/Labor Responds to AIDS projects. Merchants were asked to do the following:

Display and distribute free HIV/AIDS point-of-purchase materials to customers
Discuss HIV/AIDS awareness with employees, customers, and peer
Encourage other neighborhood businesses to share HIV prevention information with their employees, customers, and peers

The yearlong campaign was very successful within targeted neighborhoods throughout Miami-Dade County. STOP AIDS: It’s Everyone’s Business, will model the project launched by MDCHD.

The goals of the project are:

Increase community awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS
Motivate residents in high prevalence neighborhoods to get tested and seek prevention treatment and care services
Increase the number of persons who know their HIV status and are linked to appropriate prevention and care services

9 1/2 Minutes

Every 9 1/2 minutes (on average), someone in the United States is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Before we can stop any epidemic, we first have to recognize the magnitude of the disease. HIV is still a threat across the United States.
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American Indians and HIV/AIDS

Though American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/ANs) represent only 1.8 percent of the United States’ population, they have the 3rd highest rate of new HIV infections. Many unique issues face these communities and their fight against HIV, making HIV prevention particularly challenging. Click here to learn more about how HIV affects this population.
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Greater Than AIDS

Lead by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Greater Than AIDS is a national program that addresses HIV and AIDS disparities among the nation’s minority communities. Florida participates in the Greater Than AIDS campaign via outdoor billboard advertising in Florida’s most affected counties.
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Historically Black Colleges and Universities

HBCUs are institutions founded primarily for the education of African-Americans, although their charters are not exclusionary. Florida is home to four HBCUs that are providing information on HIV/AIDS, STDs and other health-related issues to the student body. Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters College, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), and Florida Memorial University.
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TOPWA

The Targeted Outreach for Pregnant Women Act (TOPWA) program provides women of childbearing age information on HIV prevention, offers them free HIV testing and free pregnancy testing, and assists pregnant women to access prenatal care and other services.
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