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Jordan Selha has spent his entire career with the AIDS Project of Central, working his way up to executive director two years ago. He oversees a staff of 14 and the job matches his passion for social justice, he said.
While the recent rise in HIV cases in Iowa is a concern, he said the project is refocusing its prevention efforts and making sure it does the best it can with limited resources.
What is the AIDS Project of Central Iowa?
A. We are a nonprofit dedicated to building our community's resistance to HIV/AIDS. Annually, we assist 350 people, improving quality of life and access to healthcare. We also offer mobile HIV testing and education to 5,000-plus people at community outreach sites.
 How have services grown since the project was founded in 1991?
A. Time and experience has refined a road map for HIV prevention and established clear treatment protocols. However, social inequities and resource constraints create a fertile landscape for new infections.
The agency budget has grown; unfortunately, so has the need for services. Too often, we must still say no to people who need help. Our housing program cannot keep up with the number of clients facing homelessness and Iowa's waiting list for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program impedes access to life-saving medication.
The Iowa Department of Public Health noted an increase in reported HIV cases for the first half of 2009. Is this as a surprise?
A. Progress isn't always linear in an epidemic like HIV. An increase in diagnoses can be a sign that testing is being accessed by people who need it.
What is the project doing in response to the increase?
A. -Increasing quality and efficiency. Rapid HIV testing reduces the wait for results from two weeks to 15 minutes. Telecare enables client-staff communication via webcam. Both of these measures increase access and reduce costs.
-Refocusing prevention priorities. We recently received a grant to modernize health communication via social networking and internet sites. We're also working with churches and other organizations to try new interventions to address racial, gender and sexual minority health disparities.
-Addressing underlying causes. Our newly launched campaign, www.iowahivalliance.com, is reducing the stigma that discourages communication about HIV status between partners and contributes to higher rates of infection.
What's the most challenging part of the job?
A. Doing more with less.
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Read the original article at the Des Moines Register website:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100210/LIFE02/2100305/1042/AIDS-Project-director-aims-to-do-more-with-less |
Hi! My name is Tasmania (Taz) Clayburn, and I am the new Minority HIV Program Specialist here at the Project. After attending Central College in Pella, I spent a few years with the Des Moines Public Schools & then a number of years working in Corporate America. I was a volunteer & Peer Advocate here at the Project, so I am extremely excited to be an even bigger part of the team and look forward to meeting as many of you as possible either in the office or while I am doing Outreach work in the community.