Caribbean Access Initiative
 |
| Celebrating the Caribbean Access Initiative launch on January 20 were, from left: Consul General of Trinidad & Tobago Dr. Harold Robertson, Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham, CHN CEO Catherine Abate, NYC Councilwoman Yvette Clark, and Program Manager Steve Hemraj. |
On Jan. 20, 2006, Caribbean Access Initiative celebrated its formal launch at Caribbean House Health Center. Steve Hemraj, Program Manager, spoke of his own experience as a Caribbean immigrant who feared the stigma of AIDS in his community. “We are here so that no Caribbean will delay seeking care like I did.”
Caribbean immigrants are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and face numerous barriers to accessing HIV/AIDS care in the U.S. due to many Caribbeans’ fear of immigration and HIV reporting. HIV positive undocumented immigrants living in the US are less likely to access care because of their legal status.
Funded by the US Department of Health, CHN is one of five agencies chosen nationwide to tailor its HIV education and primary care to fit the specific needs of the Caribbean community. Open to immigrants and undocumented English speaking Caribbeans, the Caribbean Access Initiative meets the above challenges by providing:
- confidential HIV care and medicine at no cost to participants;
- training on navigating healthcare in the US;
- free Metro Cards and refreshments at group meetings;
- survey incentives up to $110.00;
- legal, housing and food pantry referrals.
For more info, call 718-778-0198 x 225. The staff of CHN’s Caribbean Access Initiative are all Caribbean, and a number of them are living with HIV/AIDS. President and CEO of CHN, Catherine M. Abate, elaborated on the program’s philosophy, “Our HIV/AIDS clients, regardless of culture, face tremendous stigma. This is even more true in the Caribbean community. By staffing the Caribbean Access Initiative with people who are intimately familiar with both the Caribbean and HIV/AIDS cultures, we want to convey the message - you are safe here at CHN.”
