Need

Positive Efforts continuously reaches Houston's high risk African America communities with health education and risk reduction education, information and referrals. Although special emphasis has been placed on African-America women, PE also offers HIV/STD prevention services to African American men and Latino/Hispanic men and women.

Most programs activities for PE occur outside of the traditional office setting. Neighborhood and community outreach, education, and service delivery take place in or near client homes, community centers, parks, street corners, neighborhood businesses and night clubs.

Background

Positive Efforts, Inc. (PE) is a Non-Profit, 501 ( c ) (3) organization servicing high-risk communities of color for HIV infection within areas exhibiting the highest HIV incidence rates in Houston.

PE's mission is to provide health education and social services to economically disadvantage African Americans with special emphasis on women, in a culturally competent, caring, compassionate and linguistically appropriate manner.

Positive Efforts, Inc. (PE) was established in 1999 in response to a growing need for African Americans to receive culturally competent and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS related services. Since its inception, PE has been involved in a variety of neighborhood and community outreach, HIV counseling and testing, and community mobilization activities in Houston. PE's Executive Director, Barbara Joseph, has been in the HIV field for more than 25 years providing one-on-one outreach and education. Ms. Joseph is nationally known for her commitment and involvement in HIV prevention, care, and social services.

In 2002, Ms. Joseph collaborated with The Mayor of Houston and the City Health Department along with the Office of HIV/AIDS Policy (OHAP) of the US Department of Health and Human Services implemented (RARE) Rapid Assessment Response and Evaluation Project. The six-month project assessed designated two areas reporting Houston's highest HIV incidence rates. The findings identified problems and gave recommendations for solutions. This process was a model that has been used as a recruitment tool to identify person in high risk areas, provide testing to such persons, and conduct education and referrals to services in the Houston EMA. PE's Executive Director, Barbara Joseph, was the Principal Investigator on the RARE project.