1. Lehigh Valley Hospital AIDS Activities Office (LVH AAO) Michele M. Vella, M.S., M.A., M.Ed. Behavioral Health Specialist

2. Quilting: Women Centered HIV Wrap Around Care  Quilt as both powerful metaphor for collective identity; a narrative device whereby women artistically weave their own her-stories exchanging intergenerational dialogue in the construction of self & communal identity  AIDS Quilt: Relabeling/renegotiating a symbol of the intergenerational HIV community  Created as a behavioral health initiative for HIV positive women by Michele M. Vella

3. Implementation  Fall 2011  Uses feminist centered behavioral healthcare in all phases of clinical collaboration, weaving a “quilt” for the HIV positive female consumer  Connects female staff members and female client peer support for:  Case management  Adherence  Medical clinical care  Counseling/therapy  HIV prevention/intervention

4. StorytellingAnalyze Power Distress as Communication Advocacy & Collaboration

5. Population of Service  HIV positive women in all phases of care from new diagnoses to women living with HIV for over 20 years  Female clinicians and staff working with HIV positive women  In all phases of quilting, female staff and clinicians are encouraged to utilize/collaborate with each other according to their individual strengths and the unique needs of the client/woman

6. About Quilting  Analyze Power (de-labeling) : Considers social determinants of health impact feelings of powerlessness. This shows the woman how to look at HIV in a multi-dimensional context  Advocacy & Collaboration (de-silence) : encourages women to renegotiate their power, refuse social stigma, and break silence through social justice and being responsible to one another  Storytelling (gathering the material): Asks the client to share her story; interpret her story; and reinterpret her story as she moves through lifespan phases  Distress as healthy communication (acknowledges unique design): Encourages the woman to listen to her body and voice to navigate self- care

7. Future Directions:  Breakout sessions LVH AAO Women’s Conference that is organized by quilting themes with HIV positive women and community partners (March 2012). Product: Summary report with client + community suggestions for implementation into practice  Establishing more women-centered peer support opportunities post-NNED Learn 2012  Expanding community partners through peer support team demonstration of how quiliting could be adapted to meet their population service needs  International HIV positive women advocacy group: (May, 2012) connecting international and domestic HIV positive female voices in our community

8. Contact  Michele Vella (Behavioral Health Specialist, LVH AAO)  michelemvella@gmail.com or michele.vella@lvh.com michelemvella@gmail.com  (610)969-2922