Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1990. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
AIDS Center an island of hope
Miami Herald - Sunday, NOV 25 1990
Olympia Ross, Herald Staff Writer
The first AIDS counseling center in Liberty City is not much different from any other AIDS support center: Group therapy session are held regularly, one-on-one counseling is provided and AIDS prevention is the top priority. But one thing that makes the Community Outreach Prevention and Education (COPE) center different from any other AIDS counseling center is its address -- 1001 NW 54th St. -- in the heart of the black community. "We felt that we needed to involve the community in efforts to help the community," said Christine Nolan, executive director of COPE. "We knew it was important to provide grass roots support." The COPE center offers free information on AIDS prevention and education. For the past three years, the center has been run from an office near the Orange Bowl. COPE relocated to Liberty City this month in an effort to reach more blacks in high risk groups -- such as gays, prostitutes and IV drug users -- who are often reluctant to visit other AIDS centers. "A black, HIV-infected person has a hard time getting any help, period," said Nathaniel Miller, a staff counselor at COPE. "They don't feel comfortable going to a lily-white establishment where no one can understand them." Miller is one of two black counselors at COPE. Counselors believe establishing personal relationships with clients will lead to more success in curbing the spread of the HIV infection. They say traditional education techniques for drug users, for example, have not always worked because they rely on impersonal street sweeps rather than long-term relationships. "People don't always listen when someone visits them on the corner for a few minutes," said Nolan. "The most conducive atmosphere with substance abusers is to bring them in for counseling -- establish a real relationship with them." Added counselor Dea L. Carter: "We validate these people. We let them know they are important." Counselors at the center encourage substance abusers to visit the center regularly for rap sessions. They may also pick up free needle cleaning kits which contain bleach, water and cotton swabs. Condoms are also included in the packs to prevent HIV-infected drug users from spreading the virus to their sex partners. To further limit the spread of the virus through sexual contact, the center teaches clients how to correctly put on a condom. An acrylic model is used for demonstrations, and free condoms are distributed. "We try to do anything we can to get people to buy into risk reduction and behavior changes," said Nolan. "We can't wait for the government to do anything." COPE is applying for federal grants to help cover its operating costs, but the bulk of its funding comes from private donations. The center is planning a variety of fund-raisers, including a rap concert Dec. 8. Events will include a gospel concert and a banquet for black Greek organizations. In addition to raising money, the goal of these events is also to touch as many people as possible with the AIDS message. "We're talking about a terminal illness here," said Nolan. "Prevention and education are our only vaccine."
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Copyright © 1990 - Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Miami Herald, Permissions, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 TEL: (305) 376-3719. http://www.herald.com.
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