Straight Up! Men's HIV Prevention Initiative 

Target Population: High-risk 16-35 year old heterosexual men of color in the 19104 and 19139 zip code.  

Components of the Program: Straight Up is comprised of four major components outlined below: 

• Increased Community Presence and Health Promotion
  • Collaborate with existing community-based organizations that provide services to men to promote Straight Up by using our program logo and marketing campaign.
  • Provide outreach within identified communities
  • Link men to appropriately identified medical centers that will be sensitive to the needs of heterosexual men.
• Multifaceted Educational Program
  • Facilitate an HIV prevention educational curriculum known as NIA: A Program of Purpose for African-American Men within identified community organizations.
  • Faciliate one-time HIV educational sessions to encourage heterosexual men to get tested for HIV and become aware of their risk factors.
• Mentoring
  • Mentoring through peer counselors
  • Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will serve as a mechanism to link participants with male positive role models from within the community.  
• Screening and Counseling
  • Participate in community events (health fairs, etc.) to conduct mass screenings.
  • Provide community resources to men during their testing session

 For More Information, to schedule an event or educational session please contact:

Neighborhood Options for Women (Project N.O.W.)

Among the specialty programs of Circle of Care is the concept for a comprehensive response to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia’s heterosexual African American women. 

Project N.O.W. proposes the integration of HIV services and programs into locations where heterosexual African American women work, live, and function in their everyday lives.  The implementation of the Project N.O.W. is proposed through (1) increasing awareness of HIV transmission in heterosexuals throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area, (2) implementation of multifaceted educational programs with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention from a female perspective, (3) increasing HIV counseling and testing among heterosexual African American women, and (4) ensuring the provision of gender-specific and culturally competent medical and social services in the community. Circle of Care has brought together concerned members of the African American community to create a ‘brain trust’ of community knowledge, passion and momentum to significantly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.  This group of dedicated individuals has committed to assisting Circle of Care in executing the activities required to implement this intervention in settings and locations throughout the Philadelphia area. 

This model proposes to implement the following components:Increased Community Presence: Project  N.O.W.  proposes the use of an evidenced based community level intervention entitled Real AIDS Prevention Project (RAPP) to ensure the systematic placement of resources in various community settings.  Once locations are chosen, program branding will be used to denote the arrival of Project N.O.W. in the community.  The program name, logo and marketing campaign will be launched, with respective Circle of Care program staff and community advocates introducing themselves and the program to members of the community.  Community advocates will operate in the communities closest to their homes, ensuring a palpable connection to the community.  Project N.O.W. will plan to participate in both large and small community events, faith-based and secular, to ensure that community members ‘know who they are.’   

Community Advocates: African American women, trained by Circle of Care to operate as community advocates, will provide both community and event-specific outreach to other heterosexual African American women.  Community advocates will disseminate brochures, pamphlets, and safer sex packets, as well as host HIV/AIDS informational sessions to enhance understanding of HIV transmission in Philadelphia, methods and modes of transmission, and the importance of knowing your HIV status.  Community advocates will recruit for educational programming, schedule HIV counseling and testing sessions, model positive behaviors for other members of the community, and act as a community resource.  

Multifaceted Educational Program: Project N.O.W. proposes the implementation of an educational curriculum that focuses on engagement of ‘hardest to reach’ heterosexual African American women ages 18 - 35.  Project N.O.W. will utilize the CDC- approved behavioral intervention entitled SISTA (Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics About AIDS), which addresses relationships, sexuality, gender roles, and the behaviors and actions that place heterosexual African American women at risk for HIV/AIDS, with the goal of building critical thinking techniques (What will put me at risk?) while enhancing each participant’s skill base (effective condom use, knowledge of modes of HIV transmission.)   Participants will be asked to critique this intervention after program completion, offering suggestions for improvement and sites for program recruitment, thereby taking an active part in helping to significantly decrease HIV/AIDS transmission in their communities.  

Health Promotion Awareness and Screening Activities: Circle of Care program staff and community advocates will assist in the facilitation of health screenings and linkages to medical care and other appropriate services for those community members that they encountered.  Types of screenings that will be arranged and/or offered will include: HIV screening (OraQuick ADVANCE), screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, specifically chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, and the facilitation of securing medical appointments for community members, with an emphasis on reproductive health (family planning) appointments, and ensuring that each heterosexual African American female that program staff or community advocates encounter receives a referral to generalized medical care (internal medicine, family practice.) Individuals found to be positive through the activities of the Project  N.O.W. will be linked to specialized HIV medical care and supportive services (HIV case management, mental health referrals, and prevention for positives programs) taking place throughout Circle of Care’s extensive provider network.