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CAI NEWS May 2010 Vol. 3, No. 1 |
As many of you may know, Rear Admiral Robert L. Davidson,
LCSW passed away on April 9, 2010 after a long illness. Robert served as the
Regional Health Administrator for US Public Health Service, Region II. During
his time in HHS Region II, Robert was a steadfast and devoted public servant,
overseeing the public health response to the World Trade Center attack, helping
to organize the New York State Suicide Prevention Council, leading the
development of a statewide suicide prevention plan, and facilitating the
development of a regional network of Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units that
influenced the creation of similar MRC programs in other regions.
Earlier in his career, from 1982-1984, Robert was one of the first social
workers to work with the rapidly increasing population of people living with
AIDS in New York City and he later took this experience to the Pediatric
HIV/AIDS Program at the National Cancer Institute. I have always admired
Robert's incredible work in the field as he was a true innovator and
inspirational leader. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to
work with Robert, and to have known him personally.
It is an honor for me to pay tribute to an incredible man, compassionate leader,
and dedicated colleague. On behalf of Cicatelli Associates Inc. I would like to
send our heartfelt sympathy to Robert's loved ones. Robert leaves behind an
incredible legacy. He will be deeply missed.
Barbara Cicatelli
President
NATIONAL NEWS
Avon Breast Health Outreach Programs: New Name, Same Mission
CAI has been managing the Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund
for the Avon Foundation for Women (AFW) for more than ten years and at the
February 21, 2010 Avon Forum in San Francisco, the Foundation announced a new
name for the project: Avon Breast Health Outreach Programs (BHOP).
This important project will continue with its mission of reaching women most in
need of breast health education and screening services. Through the programs,
financial support will remain focused in supporting community-based
organizations providing education and outreach to medically underserved women,
including low-income, older, and minority women. For more information, visit
www.avonbhop.org.
Tobacco Control Training Project Re-funded for Five More Years
The Tobacco Control Training Project at CAI is pleased to announce that the NYS Tobacco Control Program (NY TCP) has re-funded the project for another five years. A statewide collaboration will build on the population-based prevention training and capacity building CAI has provided since 2005 to more than 150 NY TCP contractors. Training includes skills development in reaching out to decision makers to pass local and state policies, media advocacy, and social marketing. CAI looks forward to growing this cutting edge and important partnership.
CAI to
Present at 2010 International AIDS Conference in Vienna
CAI submitted seven abstracts for presentation at the XVIII
International AIDS Conference, which will take place in Vienna, Austria, from
July 18-23, 2010. Three of the seven submissions were accepted for poster
presentations and two were selected for inclusion as electronic posters in the
Conference proceedings.
CAI staff will be attending the conference and presenting
on the following topics: "An Assessment of Home Based Care among Regular Service
Clients with HIV in Guyana," "Building PWA Capacity in Self Management and
Advocacy Skills through Training and Mentoring," and "A Serological and
Behavioral Assessment of HIV Infection in the Belize Defense Force."
According to the conference website, "The International
AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of
HIV/AIDS, policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed
to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent
scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course
forward. Given the 2010 deadline for universal access set by world leaders, IAC
2010 will coincide with a major push for expanded access to HIV prevention,
treatment, care and support."
The theme for IAC 2010 is "Rights Here, Right Now," which focuses on the critical connection between human rights and HIV. In addition to plenaries, workshops, presentations and posters, there are plans for increasing opportunities for discourse and dialogue amongst attendees, with the goal of fostering greater cooperation and collaboration across the globe. For more on the conference, visit www.AIDS2010.org.
Preliminary Results From Breast Cancer Screening Evaluation Study Presented at Avon Forum
According to preliminary findings from an evaluation study
funded by the Avon Foundation, community-based outreach programs targeting
medically underserved women can help increase the proportion of women who have
regular mammograms. Among clients aged 40 and over that are attending
Avon-funded Breast Health Outreach Programs (BHOP) and report ever having had a
mammogram, returning clients appear to be more likely to have been screened
within the last one to two years than new clients.
The supplemental evaluation was conducted by the CAI
Evaluation Team in collaboration with James Bell Associates Inc. and two expert
co-authors from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Kelly Morrison
Opdyke, MPH, Senior Program Associate for Special Projects for CAI, presented
the findings at the national Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Forum in San
Francisco in February 2010. The survey was developed based on qualitative
telephone interviews with 20 agencies and administered to all 121 current Avon
BHOP grantees in March 2009.
CAI is currently working with the evaluation team to
finalize a manuscript that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for
publication.
Assessment of Chlamydia Retesting and Positivity Rates Presented at STD Prevention Symposium
On behalf of the Region II Infertility Prevention Project (IPP),
CAI organized and presented as part of a symposium with colleagues in Region IX
(California) and Region X (Seattle) at the National STD Prevention Conference in
Atlanta in March. The symposium addressed methods for measuring rates of
chlamydia retesting in relation to CDC guidelines, and interventions for
improving rates.
CAI's assessment data found that retesting rates are low (less than 50 percent)
and repeat Ct positivity is high (greater than 10 percent) within 3-12 months,
and that both retesting and repeat positivity are higher for younger females as
well as those retested after 99 days. The CAI team is using facility-level data
for STD and FP providers in Region II as part of quality improvement efforts.
CAI Atlanta Hosts Technical Assistance Workshop with the Imani Project
CAI Atlanta, the Center for Capacity Development, recently
collaborated with the Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics,
Imani Project to host a technical assistance workshop on grant writing for local
community-based organizations. The Imani Project is an HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis and
Substance Abuse prevention project funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Its goal is to reduce the spread of
HIV/AIDS and to prevent early experimentation with alcohol/tobacco and other
drugs among African American and underserved youth ages 13-25 and their
families. Approximately 25 community- and faith-based organizations from the
metro Atlanta area attended the training delivered by CAI Atlanta Office Center
Director, Cassandra Malone.
For more than five years, CAI Atlanta has supported the efforts of the Imani
Project to train local organizations on HIV/AIDS related topics. One of the
goals of the CAI Atlanta Office is to build the capacity of local providers to
address issues contributing to health disparities in their communities.
Cicatelli Associates is pleased to support local communities as they provide
essential services to vulnerable populations in the metropolitan Atlanta area.
To learn more about the CAI Atlanta office, visit
www.cicatelli.org/CCD/.
The Regional Training Center (RTC) for Family Planning, CAI
Atlanta is committed to supporting Title X providers in offering culturally
appropriate services that meet the needs of adolescents. To support this effort
the RTC hosted a region-wide webinar for the eight states and ten grantees of
Region IV entitled Adolescent Clinical Services: A Shift in the Paradigm. More
than 300 attendees from the Southeastern states of Region IV participated in the
training.
The overall focus of the distance learning training was to provide information
to support clinicians on how and why to administer "Quick Start" hormonal
contraceptives in adolescents. The webinar also discussed new clinical practices
and protocols for adolescents that included information on rethinking the IUD
for adolescents, new protocols on the pelvic exam, and STD screening and
treatment. The Region IV RTC's goal was to build clinicians' skills in
recognizing the unique environments of adolescents and their decisions regarding
contraceptives.
CAI Launches Company-Wide Health Initiative
Recognizing the significance of healthy eating and active
living for improved health outcomes and reduced morbidity, CAI has started a new
internal program for staff called Healthy CAI. Healthy CAI includes the adoption
of the NYS Healthy Eating guidelines for our offices as well as CAI trainings.
Some changes include removing candy from public spaces and providing smaller
portion sizes of healthier foods, such as more fruits and vegetables.
Healthy CAI was initiated and is led by a group of staff committed to health,
fitness, and wellness. The team meets monthly to discuss new initiatives and
best practices for improving staff awareness and motivation around health and
fitness. Some of the healthy eating and active living programs being implemented
include an internal e-newsletter to provide helpful information and tips to
staff and the availability of fitness classes, wellness workshops, and other
programs. For more information on Healthy CAI activities, please contact Banghee
Chi at banghee@cicatelli.org.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
CAI's International Division is currently implementing an
adherence Early Alert Intervention program in collaboration with DIGECITSS (Dirección
General de Control de Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual y SIDA) and five pilot
sites in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with funding from COPRESIDA/Global
Fund. The systems-level intervention uses a set of key indicators, or "red
flags," to identify clients before they become non-adherent to treatment, in
order to help them maintain treatment and keep them in care.
The program consists of the following components: CAI provides training and
technical assistance on identifying the Early Alert indicators to
multidisciplinary teams composed of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and peer
educators. Multidisciplinary team members implement the Early Alert system in
their respective clinics, identifying interventions for patients when "red
flags" are identified. The implementation of the interventions is monitored
through data collection, reporting forms, and a database developed by CAI.
Additionally, the five clinics are using an action learning approach to ensure
rapid adoption and utilization, whereby they share implementation experiences
and lessons learned.
The first training for this pilot was conducted in February of this year with
multidisciplinary team members and clinic supervisors. The focus of the training
was defining the Early Alert Indicators, introducing data collection forms, and
identifying the roles of the various members of the multidisciplinary team
needed to implement this system. After the first training, local CAI staff
provided technical assistance to each clinic to assist in the implementation of
the system as well as the use of the data collection and reporting forms.
A second training was since held during the week of April 12 to discuss
implementation successes and challenges, identify knowledge and skills necessary
for program implementation, and to practice communication skills and
documentation for monitoring and reporting. CAI is currently in the process of
applying for a follow-on contract to continue work with DIGECITSS in this
program.
http://www.cicatelli.org
© 2010,
Cicatelli Associates Incorporated, 505 Eighth Avenue,
Suite 1600, New York, NY 10018
phone:
(212) 594-7741 / fax: (212) 629-3321
