Nationals HIV/AIDS Strategy and how the mission of Women
Accepting Responsibility, Inc. is helping to meet this goal.
By She’kell Hutchinson
Program Director, Supportive Housing Services
Women Accepting Responsibility
The United States will become a place where
new HIV infections are rare and when they do
occur, every person, regardless of age, gender,
race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity
or socio-economic circumstance, will have
access to high quality, life-extending care, free
from stigma and discrimination
CDC estimates that more than one million
people are living with HIV in the United
States. One in five (21%) of those people
living with HIV is unaware of their infection.
Miguel Gomez, AIDS.gov Director stated
“An important component of the HHS National
HIV/AIDS Strategy Operational Plan is what is
known as “the 12 Cities Project.”
Comprehensive HIV/AIDS planning is needed
cross-agencies to respond and support efforts
to decreasing the 12 U.S. jurisdictions that bear
the highest AIDS burden in the country.
Estimates Rates of New HIV Infections, By
Race/Ethnicity, 2006
Content Source:
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Reduce The Number of New HIV/AIDS
Infections

Increase access to care for people living with
HIV/AIDS

Reduce HIV related Health Disparities
Implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy does not
fall to the Federal Government alone. Success will require
the commitment of all parts of society, including state,
local, businesses, faith communities, the scientific /
medical communities, educational institutions, people
living with HIV, and others.
What We’re Doing
CTR
(Counseling Testing &
Referrals)
Shelter Plus
Care &
Supportive
Housing
Growing
Up
(Adolescent Females)
Permanent Housing
(form women with children
that are chronically
homeless)
Beautiful Me
Opening Doors
Trans Women
(provides financial assistance,
for medical care, drug
treatment & Mental Health
with intensive Case
management)
(individual and group
level intervention)
Knowledge is
Power
(Adolescent male &
female)

Increasing office hours for providing HIV testing and services known to
reduce the risk associated with HIV/STI infections

Volunteering testing through Street Outreach, offering prophylactics – and
other safer sex tools

Expand targeted efforts to prevent HIV infection using a combination of
effective, evidence-based approaches in schools, transitional programs,
churches, in office day & evening

Support people living with HIV with co-occurring health conditions and
those who have challenges meeting their basic needs, such as housing,
food, & clothing

Offer routine testing & education on treatment and care

Partner collaboration with Pharmaceutical companies
(Bristol Myers Squibb/ Vertex )

Collaboration with THC ( Mental Health Treatment, Primary
Care & Substance abuse Treatment )

Encouraging Viral load Suppression through Highly Active
Antiretroviral Therapy adherence/medical guidance

Reduce stigma and discrimination against people
living with HIV

Engage new partners in HIV prevention, care,
treatment and stigma-reduction efforts to strengthen
our collective efforts and reach more people

Encourage highly impacted communities to seek
treatment and encourage routine testing in high
prevalence areas