GEORGIA: Positive Impact Targets Mental Health and HIV

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

GEORGIA: Positive Impact Targets Mental Health and HIV

Southern Voice (12.19.03) - Monday, December 22, 2003
Marie Niesse

Positive Impact in Atlanta was founded in 1992 to help HIV- positive people cope with mental health issues. Dr. Gwen Davies, clinical director for Positive Impact, said the organization's clients have mental health concerns "typical of any population - depression, anxiety, trauma history." She has noted an increase in the severity of clients' mental health problems, and said she often sees substance abuse coupled with mental illness.

Positive Impact is not an emergency-services organization, but rather focuses on prevention, treatment and connecting HIV- positive people to community resources. Mental health services are free to anyone whose income falls within 300 percent of the poverty line; psychotherapy is available to individuals and couples, and psychiatry is also available.

The organization has roughly 280 mental health clients it refers to its 60-plus group of volunteer psychotherapy practitioners. Many of these professionals also assist with Positive Impact's programs such as a prevention/intervention group that explores psychology and the signs of illness, explaining how therapy might help.

Other Positive Impact programs include outreach to immigrants, the homeless and the poor; and a program, through the group Common Welfare, that deals with mental health-related problems like addiction recovery.

Positive Impact offers services to people both infected with and affected by HIV, Davies said, but 95 percent of its clients are HIV-positive. For more information, telephone 404- 589-9040 or visit www.positiveimpact-atl.org.
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