Today’s agency highlight is the Southern New Hampshire HIV/AIDS Task Force. This is a wonderful example of a small agency that is effectively collaborating with other agencies. Through a formal collaborative relationship they have been able to vastly expand directly provided services for the HIV/AIDS community they serve. You will note that the collaborating agencies have even issued a joint Annual Report. We highlight this agency because it is a prime example of how agency leaders, when they have the health and welfare of their clients as the primary concern, can find a creative solution to not only survive as an organization, but thrive.
Note that this is not a referral model of service delivery, but a model that has found an innovative and cost effective way to use limited resources to fund the direct delivery of HIV/AIDS services.
From their 2008 Annual Report:
The Task Force was founded in 1989 by a group of concerned citizens, including a number of nurses from the Nashua Public Health Department, who were disturbed about the lack of services or support for individuals who had tested positive for HIV. The Mayor’s Task Force on HIV/AIDS was formed under the direction of former Nashua Mayor Robert Wagner, and a support group began meeting in the basement of Southern New Hampshire Hospital. What began as an all-volunteer grassroots agency has grown into a full-fledged AIDS service organization offering a wide range of direct support and educational services.
Task Force clients are male, female, young, old, gay, straight, bisexual, and transgender. They come from a variety of ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds. Sixty percent of our clients are low income. The Task Force views clients as individuals with unique requirements and needs. We work with the clients to ensure their treatment plans are maintained, thus optimizing their health and well-being. The services we provide help clients address many of the complex issues facing a person living with HIV/AIDS.
Some of the direct services offered are:
• Individual Case Management
• Food Pantry
• Nutritional Counseling
• Support Groups
• Client Advocacy
• Mental Health Counseling
• Substance Abuse Counseling
• Transportation
• Emergency Housing & Utility Assistance
• Latino / Latina Services
• FREE and confidential HIV testing and counseling
