MOBILIZING BLACK CIVIL SOCIETY TO ENGAGE AND CARRY OUT HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND EDUCATION THROUGH A SOCIAL CHANGE AGENT TRAINING MODEL S. Taylor, MSA; T. Espinoza-Ferrel, MPH; C. Baran, BA Presented by Charlie Baran Black AIDS Institute Los Angeles, California United States XVII International AIDS Conference Mexico City, August 7, 2008

Black AIDS Institute  Founded in 1999, The Black AIDS Institute (The Institute) is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy from a uniquely and unapologetically Black point of view.

Background  Black Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS  Socio-economic factors, high levels of stigma, and a generalized epidemic

Black AIDS Institute  Training and Capacity Building  Information Dissemination  Mobilization and Advocacy  Policy Analysis and Interpretation BlackAIDS.org

Capacity Building African American HIV University (AAHU)  Science & Treatment College (STC)  Science literacy curriculum  2-year Fellowship  3 complete cohorts since 2000  Community Mobilization College (CMC)  Community mobilization skills building  National cadre of social change agents within traditional Black institutions  First cohort in progress

AAHU CMC  Current cohort of 22 Fellows  United States and Cameroon  Fellows represent ASOs and CBOs  February 2008 – December 2008

Background  Responding to a need to increase access to and utilization of HIV prevention services  Social Norms Theory

Goals  HIV-related stigma will be reduced at the community level  Access to and utilization of HIV prevention services will be increased  Increased identification of new cases and initiation of treatment will negatively impact new incidence of HIV

Who sets the community agenda?  Black Churches  Black Media & Celebrity  Black Political Leaders & Organizations  Civil Rights Organizations  Social & Fraternal Organizations  Civic & Professional Organizations  Academia

Assumptions 1. Traditional Black institutions are not mobilized 2. Four key barriers to mobilization 3. No critical mass of social change agents with the knowledge and skills 4. TBIs are ready to be mobilized 5. If we create a critical mass of change agents with the knowledge and skills to address key barriers, TBIs would mobilize to increase access to and utilization of HIV prevention services

AAHU CMC Content Areas  Community Needs Assessment  Strategic Action Planning & Coalition Building  Mobilization Activity Implementation  Monitoring & Evaluation

AAHU CMC Fellowship  11 months  13 days in-class instruction  Three 90-day practicum  3 day Community Mobilization Symposium  Regional “Pods”  Online community software

Process Evaluation  Tracking content deliverables  Written knowledge tests  Key informant interviews with faculty  Regular assessment of organizational support  Curriculum pre and post evaluation

Outcome Evaluation Determining if CMC participation impacts increased access to and utilization of HIV prevention services:  Key informant interviews of agency directors  Analysis of scope and utilization of HIV prevention services offered by participating agencies  Number of mobilization activities completed  Assess activities of coalition partners after 6 months and 1 year

Primary Outcomes  Participating ASOs & CBOs will have an increased ability to mobilize traditional Black institutions  Participating ASOs & CBOs will experience increased testing and utilization of HIV prevention services  By way of coalition, 3 new community partners will develop strategic HIV prevention plans

Process Outcomes  In-class participation  Attendance in13 days of training over 3 modules  Passing grades on final tests and comprehensive scores in each module  Practicum  Monthly progress reports and “Pod Calls”  Community Needs Assessment Report  Mobilization Event

Next Steps  Mobilization Events  8 Post-IAC updates  Community Mobilization Symposium  Graduation  6-month and 12-month post-Fellowship outcome evaluation

Acknowledgements  Funding Partner  US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  Black AIDS Institute Staff  Phill Wilson, Aron Myers  Raniyah Abdus-Samad, Janet Quezada  AAHU CMC Faculty  Guy Weston, Sharon Crawford, PhD, Papaya Mann  AAHU CMC 2008 Fellows

AAHU CMC 2008