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DAPCAN
Desert AIDS Project - Community Action Newsletter
December 22, 2011
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Editorial Staff
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David Brinkman
Chief Executive Officer
Barry Dayton
Director of Marketing and Communications
Alexis Ortega
Interactive Marketing
Specialist
Rick Vila
Volunteer Co-editor
John Lewis
Volunteer Co-editor
Steve Bolerjack
Volunteer Co-editor
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Tuesday, January 3, 6:00 PM
Positive Life Series - YOUR MEDS: PRESCRIBED & UNPRESCRIBED: DO THEY PLAY WELL TOGETHER?
The next presentation in the monthly Positive Life HIV education series, sponsored by Jewish Family Service of the Desert, will focus on the interactions between our HIV meds and the supplements and recreational drugs that many of us use. Walgreens is also sponsoring the event. A light supper will be served at 6:00 PM, and the program will begin at 6:30 PM. The location is the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Medical Center (at the corner of Tachevah and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs), and is always free. ASL translation will be provided. Please email or call Jeff Taylor at jefftaylorps@gmail.com, or 760.835.1926, with any questions. However, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RSVP! Back to top |
| Community Center Events | |
The Client Community Center hosts regular activities and events every week (listed below). Community Center special events and other activities can now be found on the main D.A.P. website. Click here for the complete list of upcoming special events.
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, Noon - 12:45 PM,
Community Center Presents - GUIDED MEDITATION & AFFIRMATIONS
 New sessions starting using guided imagery and affirmations as narrated by Belleruth Naparstek. You'll gain deeper relaxation, healing and wellness. Just show up to the Meditation Room on designated days and time. Lower anxiety, stress and depression.
First and Third Tuesday Every Month, 4:30 - 6:00 PM
Community Center Presents - POZITIVELY POSITIVE
D.A.P. Community Center is pleased to support this peer-led group for HIV+ men striving to live a more empowered and healthier life. Discussion topics are chosen by group members. For more information please contact the group's facilitator, Tim Neuman, @ (323) 854-3248. Stay strong!
Every Thursday, 1:00 PM - Movie & Pizza
Community Center Presents - LETS GO TO THE MOVIES
Thursday, December 29 - Chocolat (2000)
 A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community. Directed by Lasse Hallström. Starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench. Get out of the house for a flick!
Ongoing Client Community Center activities include:
- Support groups
- Spiritual Living 101
- Hepatitis C Therapy Education
- Diabetes Education
- Stitch in Time (needlecraft), Wednesdays, 10:00 AM
- Community Center Computer Lab
- Lending Library
- Free films, Thursdays, 1:00 PM
Follow this link to see the recurring activities on the Community Center Calendar.
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CEO David Brinkman invites you to read D.A.P.'s new Annual Report
D.A.P.'s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Brinkman invites clients, staff, volunteers, donors, and other members of our comunity to view D.A.P.'s 2011 Annual Report, where you will learn more about what has happened at D.A.P. over the last 18 months. Once you open and begin reading the electronic Annual Report document, you can run your mouse over the pages and see hyperlinks pop up on most of the pages. Once you click on any of them you will get greater detaied information about what D.A.P. has provided to its growing list of clients. Paper copies of the 2011 Annual Report are also available at the front desk at D.A.P. (rv)
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D.A.P. Resources: website and toll-free number
 Remember that the Desert AIDS Project toll-free phone number is always available at 866.331.3344 as well as the website at www.desertaidsproject.org. (jl)
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US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves Isentress for children
The US Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has approved the expanded use  of an important anti-viral drug used to treat HIV infections in children ages 2 to 11 years.. Isentress is an antiretroviral drug produced my Merck & Co. It was first approved in October 2007 and was the first of a new class of anti HIV drugs known as integrase inhibitors. The drug is taken twice daily, with or without food, and has been seen to slow and inhibit the spread of the virus, thus, at least prolonging the time taken for full blown AIDS to affect the body. Unfortunately, there are some side effects from the drug which can include insomnia and headaches. Merck & Co. has also announced that it will be providing additional discounts to low income patients who have limited or no insurance. At minimum, Isentress must be taken with at least two other anti-HIV drugs as part of an effective antiretroviral treatment regimen, pushing the overall price of one Isentress patient's yearly anti-HIV drugs to between $20,000 and $30,000. (rv)
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Staying well during flu season
 Our recent chilly, rainy weather is a reminder that winter's cold and flu season is upon us. People with long-term health conditions--including HIV/AIDS, as well as asthma, diabetes and heart disease, are at greater risk for serious complications from the flu. Studies show increased heart and lung-related hospitalizations in HIV-positive folks during influenza season. Well, we hope you have already gotten your flu shot. And since the last things people living with HIV need are coughing and sneezing from a cold, it's wise to take some extra precautions to stay well. Click here for a good checklist on avoiding the rest of the nasty stuff. And if you do catch something, check this list for what remedies work and what doesn't--from Mayo Brothers Clinic, no less. They know! (sb) |
Latest research on aging and HIV
 This is no one's favorite topic, but more data continues to come in that further proves how longterm HIV accelerates aging, even among those with controlled viral load and adequate T-cells. We will be covering aging issues under this heading from now on since the topic has become its own major category in HIV/AIDS research. Click here and here to read the latest on dealing with what inevitably affects us all. (sb)
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White House at Christmastime
by Rick Vila
Last week my husband and I had the good fortune to be invited for a private tour of the White House. I had been to the White House twice before, at age 6 and 10, and in my memory the White House was a huge mansion, a bit daunting and intimidating. This visit, 47 years later, made for a different impression. The house did not necessarily seem so big (though it has 6 floors and is big by most standards), instead the overarching feeling was one of pride of being an American. This photo is of one of the many Christmas trees that make the White House magical during the holiday season. I took it with my mobile phone as cameras are not permitted. The White House was completely built by 1797, and has been the residence of every one of the nation's presidents except George Washington. It was burnt in 1814, rebuilt in 1815/1817, with the West Wing added in 1902. The White House was again rebuilt in 1948-1952, completely within the original walls. It is the oldest building in the District of Columbia, and a great repository of American history, paintings, and furniture. The East Room and the State Dining Room frame the main floor, and the famed "color" rooms: Red Room, Blue Room, and Green Room. Until 9/11, the White House was open to visitors, but due to security, an invitation is now required to visit this great house, which belongs to the American people. If you are planning to visit Washington, D.C., you can contact your Congressional representative's offices (Feinstein, Boxer, or Bono - see contact information below) and seek permission to visit the White House. I was surprised by the relative amount of freedom we were given to tour at our leisure and pace, with no restrictions to the amount of time we could spend in each room. However, entering the White House requires an escort, a security clearance, and there is watchful (though friendly and informative) Secret Service agents in every room! We were fortunate to see Marian Robinson, the First Lady's mom, as well as President Obama and his motorcade as he traveled to deliver a speech at the 71st General Assembly for the Union of Reform Judaism. The organizational efficiency with which the Secret Service guard the President and the White House was as interesting for me to observe, as was the history of the most famous house in America. (rv) Back to top |
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ADAP may pay Medicare Part D premium
ADAP-eligible clients who have to purchase Part D prescription drug coverage may qualify to have their Part D premium paid by the State of California. Follow this link to the Part D Premium Payment Program Application. You can also call the State of California at 916.449.5900 for more information. (jl)
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Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP)
Toll Free 1.877.501-5085
MISP 1.951.486-5375 English
MISP 1.951.486-5400 Spanish
You can make MISP/ADAP appointments together for Moreno Valley office ONLY
MISP-MORENO VALLEY
14375 Nason Street, Suite 102
Moreno Valley, CA 92555
Hours: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday
MISP MAIL P O Box 9610, Moreno Valley, CA 92552.
MISP FAX 1.951.486-4635
AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)
Toll Free 1.877.501.5085
ADAP 1.951.486-5375 English
ADAP 1.951.486-5400 Spanish
*MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR ADAP PROGRAM
ADAP-MORENO VALLEY
14375 Nason Street, Suite 102
Moreno Valley, CA 92555
Hours: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday
ADAP-PALM SPRINGS
1695 North Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
By Appointment Only (ask for ADAP Palm Springs Office)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Faxed MISP applications tend to get lost in the process. Most persons who have faxed their application have had to re-apply later. It's best to apply in person in Moreno Valley, and get a "receipt of application", and use that as proof that you applied to avoid any uninterrupted services with your DAP medical doctor visits. (rv)
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Call 211 for essential human services in Riverside County
2-1-1 is a toll-free service for residents looking for information about essential human services such as affordable housing, food pantries, help for an aging parent, free or low cost health services, addiction prevention programs, employment, support groups, volunteer opportunities, and 1,700 additional services! (jl)
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To contact state and federal officials click on name:
President Barack Obama
Senator Diane Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack
Congressman Jerry Lewis
Governor Jerry Brown
State Senator Bill Emmerson
State Senator Juan Vargas
Assembly member Brian Nestande
Assembly member Manual Perez
Desert AIDS Project - Community Action Newsletter (DAPCAN) presents published material, reprinted with permission, and neither endorses or opposes any material. All information contained in this newsletter, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. Always discuss treatment options with a physician who specializes in treating HIV. Publication of the name or likeness of any individual in articles in this newsletter is not to be construed as any indication of the HIV status of such individual. If you do not wish to receive this e-newsletter, please notify us by using the email address below.
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