DAPCAN
Desert AIDS Project Community Action Newsletter
March 7, 2013
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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, April 2, 6:00 - 8:00 PM - Positive Life Series
Aging Well with HIV
What to expect growing older with HIV and what to do about it, with Daniel Tietz from ACRIA in NYC. As always, a light supper is served at 6:00 PM, and the program begins at 6:30 PM. The location is the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Medical Center (corner of Tachevah and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs) and the event, sponsored by Jewish Family Service of the Desert, is always free. ASL translation is provided. Questions? Email positivelifeseries@gmail.com. Plan to attend and bring a friend! (rv)
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The D.A.P. Client Community Center hosts regular activities and events every week (listed below). Community Center special events and other activities can be found on the main D.A.P. website. Click here for the complete list of upcoming special events.
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Tuesday, March 19, Noon to 1:00 PM
Community Center Presents - Disclosure/Telling Others
 Neva Chauppette PsyD, HIV specialist, will be here talking about disclosure and sharing your status with others. Lunch starts at 11:45 AM. Registered D.A.P. clients only. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation upon request -contact Ray at least 48 hours in advance. Sponsored by ViiV Healthcare, please RSVP to Ray Robertson @ (760) 323-2118 ext 295 or via email: rrobertson@desertaidsproject.org
Improve your Quality of life through education
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Friday, March 22, Noon to 1:00 PM
Community Center Presents - HIV and Your Personal Responsibility
 Joseph Leahy will speak on the responsibilities of people living with HIV. Lunch starts at 11:45 AM. Registered D.A.P. clients only. For ASL interpretation upon request, please contact Ray at least 48 hours in advance. Sponsored by Janssen Therapeutics, RSVP to Ray Robertson @ 760.323.2118 ext. 295 or email rrobertson@desertaidsproject.org.
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Every Tuesday, Noon to 1:00 PM
Community Center Presents: LEARN TO MEDITATE GROUP
Learn to bring mind-body balance, health and nourishment into your life through AYURVEDA! Healing Compassion is about the journey to a wellness state-of-being. Jeff Skorman is a teacher,counselor and Certified Chopra Center Perfect Health and Ayurvedic Lifestyles, Meditation and Yoga Instructor. Meeting are held in the Meditation Room. Or just show up!
Improve your health through education!
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Every Monday, Noon to 12:45 PM
Community Center Presents: PATHWAYS TO HOPE AND HEALING GROUP!
 Learn to deal with all aspects of challenging emotions. We start the group with a relaxing cup of hot chocolate and a snack. We meet in the Walgreen Group Room. Contact co-facilitators Dr. Melanie Wolfe, ext. 226 or Ray Robertson, ext. 295, for more information. Or just show up!
Learn to use your inner resources!
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Every Thursday, 1:00 PM - Movie and Pizza!
March 14: Juno (2007)
 Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
Come out for a good flick!
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Ongoing Client Community Center activities include:
- Support groups
- Hepatitis C therapy education
- Diabetes education
- Stitch in Time (needlecraft) - Third Wednesday of each month
- Community Center Computer Lab
- Lending Library
- Free films, Thursdays, 1:00 PM
- Afternoon tea, every Wednesday, 3:00 PM
Follow this link to see recurring activities on the Community Center Calendar.
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$10 gift cards for every woman and girl getting an HIV test on March 11
"Share knowledge; take action" is the message being spread by National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, as it seeks to shed light on the often-overlooked impact of HIV/AIDS among this segment of the American population. The most recent figures show  that women and girls account for two-thirds of people in the U.S. who contracted HIV through heterosexual sex. The rate of infection among African-American women and girls continues to be disproportionately affected with an HIV infection rate 20 times that of white women and girls, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health. Although National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day falls on a Sunday this year, D.A.P. will mark it the following day with expanded testing hours and a gift card. From 2:00 - 7:00 PM on Monday, March 11 every woman or girl getting an HIV test and staying to learn its results - available in about 20 minutes - will receive a $10 gift card. This offer is good only at Desert AIDS Project's main campus at 1695 N. Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. While appointments are not necessary, they are encouraged. Gift cards will be made available only while supplies last. (rv)
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Free tickets to the Annenberg Theatre for D.A.P. clients, volunteer, staff
Desert AIDS Project has been offered free tickets to the Annenberg Theatre this Sunday,  March 10th at 2:00 PM, when the theatre features a tour de force staged reading by Emmy-winning actor (and friend of Desert AIDS Project) Laurence Luckinbill on his play CLARENCE DARROW TONIGHT! To claim tickets, please visit the Annenberg Box Office through Saturday, March 9th. Box office hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tell the booth representative that you are with D.A.P. One individual can pick up tickets for their group, but please use all the tickets that you request. The Annenberg Theatre is located at 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. Mr. Luckinbill was in the original BOYS IN THE BAND and THE SHADOW BOX, and his credits include numerous Broadway plays, television shows, and movies including STAR TREK V. Mr. Luckinbill is married to Lucie Arnaz, and they have just bought a home here in the desert and are supporters of D.A.P. (rv)
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Baby cured of HIV
This week's news cycle has been replete with a first for HIV medicine - a baby in Mississippi has been functionally cured of HIV after physicians treated the infant with antiretrovirals (ARVs) beginning about 30 hours after the child was born, which is not common. Scientists from the Johns Hopkins Center in Baltimore and the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester announced the results of this case study during the opening of the  Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Atlanta. Though certainly a medical breakthrough that may revolutionize the care of infants born with HIV around the world, as well as lead to new insights about the formation of viral reservoirs that make curing HIV otherwise so difficult, we should all be cautious to read too much into it. Not being much reported is the failure of the Mississippi healthcare system (which consistently ranks last in the nation in nearly every measure), that despite our knowing for a long time how to prevent mother-to-child transmission, this case happened in the first place. Notwithstanding, to date, only one other known person in the world, the so-called "Berlin Patient," has been cured of the virus. In his case, it was a sterilizing cure, in which all virus is removed from the body. In the baby's case, the functional cure allows the immune system to control the virus. Read the New York Times story here. (rv)
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Drug-resistant gonorrhea now in North America
 The first documented failure of oral treatment for gonorrhea in North America has been reported in Toronto. Cephalosporins--the class of antibiotics recommended for treatment of gonorrhea since 2007--are the last line of defense in a growing list of drugs that are no longer effective against N. gonorrhoeae. It's long been known that gonorrhea increases susceptibility to HIV infection, as well as being associated with increased HIV viral load. Researchers are now trying to adjust dosages of both cephalosporins and other antibiotics to maintain some effective treatments. There has been some promising work toward developing a gonorrhea vaccine. Gail Bolan, director of the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Division of STD Prevention, said that ultimately a vaccine is "the key to prevention and control," but that it is a "distant goal." In the meantime, the CDC hopes that the latest recommendations will delay the development of completely antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea until a new treatment method is found. Click here to read more and be careful out there. (sb) |
 Advocacy, memory laneby Rick Vila
This photo from the 1970's reminds me of how many of us first learned the meaning of advocacy. As young gay men and women, with the example of Stonewall, we started fighting for our rights. We learned to build coalitions, to organize, to take to the streets, to write letters to our elected officials, to run for office, to volunteer, to fund raise, and to play the necessary game to win what should have always been ours: the freedom to be who we are! We are still fighting, some of us grayer, and more tired, though hopefully wiser. We have to fight not only for the right to marry, but also for the right to live free of discrimination. We are constantly fighting for our health: HIV/AIDS and breast cancer most prominently. This photograph makes me proud to have marched, proud to have been a part of this period in history, and it makes me smile and feel emboldened to keep on fighting. For me, to advocate means to joyfully fight. (rv)
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Mitch and Jose host open house at new Salon PS
 Our own Mitch and Jose, who provide free haircuts to clients here at D.A.P. on the third Friday of every month from 1:00 to 4:00, are hosting an open house for their new shop, Salon PS, tomorrow Friday, March 1. Come by 183 South Palm Canyon and check out the stylish new shop, complete with live music, gifts and refreshments! (sb)
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"Abandon the urge to simplify everything, to look for formulas and easy answers, and begin to think multidimensionally, to glory in the mystery and paradoxes of life, not to be dismayed by the multitude of causes and consequences that are inherent in each experience -- to appreciate the fact that life is complex."
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Ongoing Benefits, Resources & Information
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Keep track of healthcare reform changes
 If you are on Medicare, it's important to keep track of the upcoming changes in coverage and payment options. Most importantly, the "donut hole" of Medicare Part D drug plan co-pays begins to close this year. Regardless of your current insurance situation, click here for a government website that provides some guidance regarding Medicare, Medicaid and other possible insurance options (albeit limited) for those living with disabilities and/or chronic health issues (pay particular attention to the Medicare and Timeline tabs). And click here for an even more detailed summary. (sb)
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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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Help with Medicare
 The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. This includes information about original Medicare, Medicare Health Plans, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare Supplemental policies and Long-term Care Insurance. The California Department of Aging (CDA) is responsible for statewide administration of SHIP, which is delivered through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP). HICAP services can be accessed via a toll-free line at 800.434.0222. The local HICAP counselor is located at the Mizell Center in Palm Springs and can be reached at 760.323.5689. Follow this link for more information.
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Help paying for prescription medications
 Among the resources available to HIV-positive people to help pay for prescription medications is NeedyMeds. The mission of NeedyMeds is to make information about assistance programs available to low-income patients and their advocates at no cost. Go to www.needymeds.org, look up the medications you need and you'll be directed to the patient assistance program website for that manufacturer. The site also offers a free drug discount card that is accepted at more than 62,000 pharmacies. If you are having trouble paying for your medications this site is worth a look! (jl) (sb)
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Help paying for private health insurance premiums 
If you or someone you are close to is HIV positive and paying for private health insurance, there may be help in paying premiums. The California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS (OA) administers the Health Insurance Premium Payment (OA-HIPP) Program. OA has expanded OA-HIPP to make this program available to more individuals with health insurance who are at risk of losing it, and to individuals currently without health insurance who would like to purchase it. You do NOT need to be a D.A.P. client to access OA-HIPP. Follow this link to see if you qualify, and also check out the above links in the Healthcare reforms article. (jl) (sb)
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Riverside County Healthcare Patients: QUEST DIAGNOSTICS Website
Riverside County Healthcare (RCHC) Lab services are provided at both Riverside County Regional Medical Center (RCRMC) in Moreno Valley and Quest Diagnostics. All former LabCorps patients are now served at Quest. Click here or above for the Quest website: locations, hours and to make an appointment.
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Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP)
AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) 
For those who qualify, medical care and help paying for your medications are available through the MISP and ADAP programs.* Find out if you qualify: schedule an appointment by calling the numbers below. You can schedule your MISP and ADAP appointments together for Moreno Valley office ONLY. Call no sooner than four weeks before your ADAP qualifying expiration date (usually around your birthday). If you qualify for ADAP only, the local ADAP office is right across the driveway, south of D.A.P., at the Palm Springs Family Care Center. Specify the Palm Springs office when you call. Here are the numbers:
877.501.5085 - toll free 951.486.5375 - English
951.486.5400 - Spanish 951.486.4635 - fax
*NOTICE: Faxed MISP applications can get lost in the process. Many people 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 uninterrupted services with your D.A.P. medical doctor visits.
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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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D.A.P. contact information
 The Desert AIDS Project local phone number is 
760.323.2118. The toll-free phone number is 866.331.3344 and the website is desertaidsproject.org.
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D.A.P. holiday closings for 2013 
April 1 - Cesar Chavez Day
May 27 - Memorial Day
July 4 - Independence Day
September 2 - Labor Day
October 14 - Columbus Day
November 11 - Veteran's Day
November 28-29 - Thanksgiving
December 25 - Christmas Day
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DAPCAN back issues always available online
 Need another look at something you read in DAPCAN? Find past issues online by clicking this link. As always, you can also read the most current edition of DAPCAN on the D.A.P. website here. And we've recently updated these links to ensure that the very latest issues of DAPCAN are always available. (jl)
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Contact information for state and federal officials--click on name:
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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Additional Contacts/Social Networking
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