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Awardee: AIDS Project Los Angeles, California

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
In Los Angeles County, home to the largest urban Native American population in the US, 5.6 out of every 1,000 Native American Alaska Native (NA/AN) are living with HIV/AIDS, second only to African Americans. Additionally, 77% of NA/AN HIV/AIDS cases were among men, 23% among those who share injection paraphernalia (SIP), and nearly 20% among women. NA/AN Transgender individuals represent 2.9% of the cases, which is higher compared to other ethnic populations. The lives of NA/AN who reside in urban areas are uniquely diverse and distinctive from NA/AN living in rural reservation areas and from other races or ethnicities. As such, HIV/AIDS prevention efforts need to be tailored to these Native populations.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
The AIDS project is working with Native Two Sprit/Gay men and Transgender individuals to design a program that will aid in HIV/AIDS prevention. They will continue testing referrals, counseling referrals and provide prevention program and education to the Native population in Los Angeles.

About the Awardee
AIDS Project Los Angeles is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by HIV disease; reducing the incidence of HIV infection; and advocating for fair and effective HIV-related public policy.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Los Angeles, CA
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and Indian Health Services are funding partners.

Awardee: Native American Interfaith Ministries, North Carolina

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
Eighty percent of North Carolina’s American Indians are located in eleven counties, five of which are in southeastern North Carolina. Fifty-one percent of North Carolina’s Indian population lives in Robeson County. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River, the ninth largest tribe and largest non-reservation tribe in the United States. A community assessment of local NC tribes and tribal organizations identified a lack of supportive services available to the two-spirit community. Lack of support has resulted in increased susceptibility to contract and transmit HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) within this population. This also poses a risk to the broader native community.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
Located in Robeson County, NC, the Native American Interfaith Ministries is currently conducting activities to increase awareness around HIV/AIDS. This aims to empower the two spirit natives to lead healthier lifestyles with enhanced knowledge of local resources and support services. The organization works with sex workers and high risk populations as well as native women.

About the Awardee
The Native American Interfaith Ministries (NAIM), also known as The Healing Lodge, serves 128 churches of diverse denominations and collaborates with various stakeholders, such as faith-based organizations, community advocates, government agencies, and academic centers to help promote wellness through spirit, mind, and soul. Over the last 10 years, we have led or significantly contributed to more than 20 projects addressing a range of health and social needs of American Indian and other underserved communities. NAIM provides counseling, case referrals, coordination and health and wellness education through grassroots efforts and outreach. It also hosts Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), HIV+ living with AIDS Support Group, Video Relay Communication Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Roberson County, North Carolina
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and IHS are funding partners.

Awardee: Navajo AIDS Network (NAN), Arizona/New Mexico

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
Navajo people in general are a severely underserved population in this region. NAN has been at the forefront of breaking down barriers and has pioneered discussions about sex, sexuality and sexual behaviors. In 2009, NAIHS reported that the number of new HIV cases has doubled from the previous year and nearly tripled compared to 2007. Significant risk factors identified in 2009 were “unknown risk,” which means that persons were not aware of how they became infected or declined to state; Men who have Sex with Men (MSM); and Women at Risk. Data strongly supports the notion that HIV is being transmitted from person to person on the reservation and not outside reservation borders or metropolitan areas as was in previous years.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
NAN is using their award to expand their current HIV Rapid testing initiative and to enhance their partnership and networking capability. They work with the Navajo Nation members in providing prevention and increasing access to care. They also have implemented several programs to address the diseases.

About the Awardee
The Navajo AIDS Network (NAN) is a Chinle, Arizona-based HIV prevention and AIDS service organization for American Indians who reside within the Navajo Nation. NAN, which operates independently of the Navajo tribal government, has offered anonymous HIV testing and references to medical services. It has also distributed condoms to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. NAN has also worked to further the cause of raising tolerance for the homosexual, bisexual and transgender members of the Navajo Nation, who traditionally had not been able to openly discuss their sexuality.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Chinle, AZ (all Navajo Nation)
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and IHS are funding partners.

Awardee: Sacred Spirits, Minnesota

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
Native Americans and Alaska Natives have the third highest HIV rate among ethnic groups in the United States. The social determinants of the spread of infection, such as poverty and poor quality services, are particularly stark among Native Americans. Historic disadvantage and current practices make it imperative that we improve access to testing and prevention efforts. According the Minnesota Department of Health, Mahnomen County ranks as one of six counties in the state with the highest reported cases of Chlamydia and is one of 11 counties with the highest gonorrhea rates in the state.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
The goal of this project is to enhance Sacred Spirits capacity to develop culturally appropriate services, policies and protocols related to HIV/AIDS. This organization provides testing, counseling and referral services. It also provides services in the greater Minnesota region and works with local tribes.

About the Awardee:
Sacred Spirits Organization, formerly known as, Community Resource Alliance (CRA), is a federally recognized tribal coalition and 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to unifying the safety response on behalf of Native women and their families being victimized by sexual and domestic violence.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Minneapolis, MN
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and IHS are funding partners.

Awardee: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Idaho/Montana

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
Native Americans as a group rank third for AIDS/HIV. Among Native Americans, the stigma for contracting a sexually transmitted disease keeps those most in need of testing and educational services from seeking diagnosis or treatment. Sex and safe practices for sex are private matters for which there is no culturally acceptable or polite open dialogue, but for which dialogue is greatly needed. Additionally, drug abuse on the Reservation is high. Although the extent of those potentially infected through drug abuse is not clear at this time, testing will allow us to produce data that will illuminate where we need to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and education.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have a broad focus which involves implementing a media campaign to educate tribal members about HIV/AIDS. The Tribes are incorporating HIV/AIDS awareness into the local high school curriculum and seeking to increase testing by promoting it as part of regular doctor’s visit.

About the Awardee
The Fort Hall Reservation was established by the Fort Bridger Treaty of 1868 as a 1.8 million acre homeland for the four distinct bands of Shoshone and one Northern Paiute band, the Bannock, which once inhabited this region. Tribal Health Administration provides oversight and assistance in regards to personnel issues, budgets, information systems and other issues which effect the department as a whole.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Fort Hall, Idaho
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and IHS are funding partners.

Awardee: Tucson Indian Center, Arizona

What Is the Problem or Public Health Issue?
The American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) population has significant HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and testing needs among in Tucson, Arizona. According to the 2008 Arizona Department of Health Services, while the incidence of reported HIV/AIDS cases among AI/AN occurs at a rate of 10.1 below the average population, the actual number of deaths from HIV disease among AI/AN occurs at a rate of 22.2 times higher than the average population in Arizona in 2008. While the AI/AN incidence is reported here as lower than the average population, it is important to note that certain populations carry a much larger burden of this ‘hidden epidemic’ than others. This is the case for AI/AN populations. Several studies have raised a concern about racial misclassification of AIs in multiple disease-surveillance databases, including those for STDs and HIV. These studies suggest that rates in AI populations are frequently underestimated.

What Is the Proposed Solution?
The Tucson Indian Center is using its award funds to strengthen their current HIV/AIDS programs and services to meet the needs of adult LGBT and Two Spirit Native Americans in the Tucson Metro area.

About the Awardee
For decades, the Center has offered youth and elderly programs, job services, adult and youth education programs, cultural activities, and emergency assistance.

Award Amount: $13,500
Award Term: November 1, 2010-November 1, 2011
Award Location: Tucson, AZ
Partners: Minority AIDS Initiative and IHS are funding partners.