DAPCAN
Desert AIDS Project Community Action Newsletter
March 14, 2013
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HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Editor's note: It has come to our attention that some of the links in the March 14 DAPCAN were not working properly. The links have been repaired in this reprint of the issue. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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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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Thursday, March 28, 2013, 4:00 PM
EXPOSED - An HIV+ Playboy Playmate talks about her life
Annenberg Center for Health Sciences - 1st Floor, Eisenhower Medical Center, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. See more information below. (jl)
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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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Thursday, April 25, 2013, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner!
Dining Out For Life
 Last year we had over 40 participating restaurants in Dining Out for Life. For breakfast, lunch, dinner, bagels, or a bar, these restaurants and diners like you supported client services Desert AIDS Project! We're thrilled and wowed by all the community support. Do Good. Eat Well. Dine Out and Fight AIDS! Click here for more information. (jl)
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Desert AIDS Project's Community Services Wing, also known as the Community Center, houses many activities and programs including arts and crafts workshops, bingo and movies, a lending library, and "drop in" hours when clients come in to just hang out with their friends. The Community Center is also host to educational programs and classes designed to increase health literacy and empower our clients to participate in their own care. Follow this link to see more details about next week's featured events listed below. If you would like to attend any of these events please RSVP to Ray Robertson at 760.323.2118, ext. 295 or email rrobertson@desertaidsproject.org.
Featured events in the Community Center!
Tuesday, March 19, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
DISCLOSURE/TELLING OTHERS
Friday, March 22, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
HIV AND YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Tuesday, March 26, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
HIV 101 - UNDERSTANDING STRIBILD
Every Thursday, 1:00 PM (No RSVP needed)
MOVIE & PIZZA!
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
Be sure to check out the complete Community Center Schedule for our ongoing programs and drop-in hours.
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Monday yoga class is moving to Tuesday!
 The lunch-time yoga class that has been held on Mondays will be held on Tuesdays at noon starting on April 2, 2013. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Ray Robertson at 760.323.2118, ext. 295 or via email: rrobertson@desertaidsproject.org. (jl)
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EXPOSED - An HIV+ Playboy Playmate talks about her life
 Join "100 Women" and "Partners for Life" on Thursday, March 28, at 4:00 PM at the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences - 1st Floor, Eisenhower Medical Center, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 for a presentation marking National Women & Girl's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Rebekka Armstrong is a former Playboy Playmate™, whose announcement in 1994 that she was HIV-positive made international headlines. Along with Earvin "Magic" Johnson, she became one of the best-known public faces of heterosexual HIV transmission. When Rebekka was 18 years old, she was featured as Playboy's Miss September 1986. During the next four years, she led an exciting life while traveling, modeling, and representing the organization in its many events. But she began to fatigue and bruise easily, and at the age of 22 was diagnosed with HIV. Despite the stereotypical lives of Playmates, Rebekka contracted the virus from an act of unprotected sex when she was in high school. In 1994, after years of hiding the physical effects of the virus and the destructive emotional result of keeping her diagnosis secret, Rebekka made the decision to "go public" with her disease. Refusing to live in the shadow of HIV/AIDS, Rebekka has dedicated herself over the past 18 years to preventing others from becoming infected. Her personal exposure is described as "one-of-a-kind", "honest", "extraordinary", and "inspiring". Catering provided by LULU. Please RSVP by Friday, March 22 to Sue Knollenberg at 760.323.9641 or by email at sknollenberg@desertaidsproject.org. (jl)
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Two local organizations to benefit Desert AIDS Project in March
 On Thursday, March 21, the Milan Institute at 75030 Gerald Ford Drive in Palm Desert will have an open house from 3:00 - 8:00 PM, offering free chair massages. Once relaxed, you may want to visit its sister campus, the Milan Institute of Cosmetology at 47120 Dune Palms Road in La Quinta two days later, on Saturday, March 23, for a make-up application, manicure, or haircut - also all for free. Food, raffle prizes, and children's activities make both events fun family activities. Any donations those receiving these services care to make will be donated to Desert AIDS Project. Once you're loving your new relaxed attitude and beautiful look, you may want to head to  446 South Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. But you'll probably want to leave the kids at home for the 6:00 PM opening of this art show, entitled "Yin | Yang" because some of the pieces are a bit more ... um, adult ... in nature. "Yin | Yang" will run from March 23 - May 25, featuring the works of nine different artists. This will be the Palm Springs premier of first-time works by Shari Belafonte, actress and daughter of legendary singer Harry Belafonte, that have been shown in the Carnegie Hall Museum in New York City. Curated by Laurie Weitz, the show will also feature the works of Amadea Bailey, Shaktima Brien, Dimitri Halkidis, Joe Oppedisano, Ken Rambo, Angela Romeo, Susanna Schulten, and Audry Tommassini. Twenty-five percent of all sales from the two-month show will benefit the 100 Women program at Desert AIDS Project. (jl)
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 Desert AIDS Project has a new psychiatrist and nursing manager in Wells Fargo HIV Health Center. David Hersh, MD has joined Desert AIDS Project as its new psychiatrist and is transitioning all of D.A.P.'s behavioral health services into a cohesive continuum of care. After graduation from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Hersh received his MD from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey - Rutgers Medical School, followed by post-doctoral work in psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Hersh has been a professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut Health Center and at UC-San Francisco. He comes to D.A.P. from the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Community Behavior Health Services where he most recently served as Medical Director of Substance Use Treatment Services. "We are so pleased that Dr. Hersh has joined our staff, not only to carry a client caseload but also as a highly-skilled administrator for psychiatric and related services," said Dr. Homayoon Khanlou, Medical Director for D.A.P. "And in the short time Joel Chong has been here, he's also already shown his skill in keeping nursing operations running smoothly." As Nursing Manager, Joel Chong has primary responsibility for coordinating and supervising patient flow through D.A.P.'s medical clinic, supervising or performing triage and clinical patient assessments while overseeing the daily activities of D.A.P.'s medical assistants, LVNs, and other clinical staff. (jl)
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Seven ways "The Chase" makes an impact
 Since 1995, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala has raised millions of dollars for direct client services at Desert AIDS Project. But the impact of the gala extends beyond raising money. We wanted to take a moment to give you a glimpse into how the agency's biggest fundraiser of the year impacts HIV and AIDS locally, a month after the big night. First, it helps fight stigma and isolation. The evening's program brings honest dialogues about HIV and AIDS to the surface. For days and weeks after the gala, the 1500 attendees and thousands more discuss AIDS openly amongst each other and with their loved ones. No longer is it an unspoken reality - instead, it is something to be frank about, as we all strive to stop its spread. You can read about the other six ways here. (jl)
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CROI 2013, 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
The 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2013) took place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, USA, 3rd-6th March 2013. While the "functional cure" of a child born with HIV was the headline maker for the conference, it wasn't the only news to come from CROI 2013. For a comprehensive look at the conference highlights you can read more here. While at the site you can also sign up for conference email bulletins. (jl)
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Toxin found in bee venom can destroy HIV
 Nanoparticles carrying a toxin typically found in bee venom has the ability to destroy HIV, but still leave surrounding cells unharmed. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, say that the toxin, known as melittin, could help create a potent vaginal gel that could halt HIV transmission. Because melittin is safe enough to use for a vaginal gel, the scientists say it could also be used for couples in which the male partner is HIV-positive, and they want to have children through natural birth. And ultimately, the toxin may even be used as a way to treat people with HIV, especially those who are drug-resistant. Read more here. (jl)
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Heart warning added to Pfizer's 'Z-Pak' antibiotic by FDA
 You might want to talk to your doctor first before you ask for a "Z-Pak" next time you're sick. The Food and Drug Administration recently updated the labeling information on the drug to reflect increased risk of fatal irregular heartbeats in patients. Research published last year found that the pills, used to treat infections, caused a small increase in cardiovascular deaths, especially among people with a higher risk of heart problems. "Health-care professionals should consider the risk of fatal heart rhythms with azithromycin when considering treatment options for patients who are already at risk," the FDA said in a statement on the label change. The agency said azithromycin isn't alone in carrying heart risks. Read more here. (jl)
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FDA updates the labels of Intelence (etravirine) and Prezista (darunavir)
 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved changes to the labels for the antiretrovirals (ARVs) Intelence (etravirine) and Prezista (darunavir). The changes include warnings about severe, potentially fatal, skin reactions and drug interactions. You can read more about this here. (jl)
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Innovative HIV gene therapy study soon to start enrollment
 Calimmune, a small biotechnology company, has been given the go-ahead by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start enrolling HIV-infected people in a first-of-its-kind gene therapy study that will modify two HIV attachment sites in CD4+ cells. This early phase study will be looking at whether an experimental gene transfer, called LVsh5/C46 (also known as Cal-1), is safe and if it can protect the immune system from the effects of HIV without the use of antiretroviral drugs. Read more here. As it appears this trial may be conducted in Los Angeles you might want to click here to see if you qualify to participate. (jl)
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Salty diet might help trigger autoimmune disease
 Eating lots of foods loaded with salt may do more than raise your blood pressure. Researchers report that it could also contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system mistakenly mounts an attack upon some part of the body. Three new studies suggest salt may be a prime suspect in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine). Read more here.(jl)
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Timeline: AIDS moments to remember
 While we are a bit beyond the 30th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic, CNN recently ran an interesting piece including a timeline of the most memorable moments in AIDS history. Check it out here. (jl)
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Ongoing Benefits, Resources & Information
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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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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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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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