HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7214 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL. MEMBERS No. 1 7214
.►**f�,. September 1 , 1987
`b&Samr To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
b �
Subject: AIDS EDUCATION, COUNSELING AND TESTING
Year To Date Activities
Since January 1987, 1448 persons have received AIDS related
counseling and testing through the Fort Worth Public Health Department.
Of these, 125 were positive for antibodies to the HIV virus, giving
an overall positivity rate of 9%. In the male homosexual population,
however, the positivity rate was 22%., .and 5.6% of IV drug users have
tested positive.
During this same time period, 69 educational presentations were
made to a total of 8, 508 persons. Many of these were inservices
to professionals in the fields of health, education, and emergency
services. Other presentations included substance abuse centers, gay
churches and counseling centers, juvenile detention centers and other
. high risk populations.
Through individual as well as group sessions, 4,425 educational
brochures and pamphlets were distributed to the public and 200 posters
to agencies. The Department maintained a continued leadership role
within the AIDS Task Force, participating in the development and
implementation of a major workshop in April as well as ongoing coor-
dination of community resources.
Projected Activities
Funding provided by the City Council in June has allowed for the
expansion of current testing, counseling and educational program.
Through this funding, a bdU ingual AIDS Education specialist has
been hired. Among his other duties he will provide testing, counseling
and educational services directed specifically at minorities. This
is a growing concern, with national statistics indicating that 25%
of U.S. AIDS cases are in Blacks, and 15% in Hispanics.
A portable VCR and several educational videos have been purchased.
These will be used during outside presentations and testing sessions.
This will allow one employee to provide both testing services and an
educational presentation at one session.
As part of a city wide educational campaign, an AIDS knowledge
survey in the Fort Worth ISD has been planned to take place in the
1987-88 school year. This would assess the current state of school-
children's knowledge regarding AIDS, and provide a tool for developing
and evaluating and AIDS curriculum. School districts around the State
[ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
2 7214
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No.-
Ole"*Tel#Ara To the May"and Members of the City Council September 1 , 1987
Subject: AIDS EDUCATION, COUNSELING AND TESTING
and country are in the process of planning this curriculum, as en-
couraged by the U.S. Surgeon General. However, at this time efforts
to gain approval from FWISD Administration to implement this survey
have not been successful. This important area will continue to be
Health Planning and Promotion is now workingwith -th4� 'AIDS -Co-niErol
program to coordinate that part of the educational campaign aimed
at the general public. Volunteers from the Ad Club in Fort Worth
are working with staff to develop and produce TV spots and poster
graphics. These will be used in conjuction with billboards and bus
ads to reach mass audiences. The first media events are projected
to begin in mid-October.
With the additional staff member and equipment provided by the
funding from the City Council in June, the Department will now be
better able to meet the counseling and testing needs of the high risk
population in Fort Worth, as well as implement an educational campaign
to reduce spread of the disease in the general population.
C r1as Harman
City Manager
LISSUED 13Y THE crry MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS