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Grantee Information

Baton Rouge AIDS Society (BRASS)
4560 North Boulevard, Suite 100-D, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 923-2437 (Phone)
(225) 923-8042 (Fax)

BRASS has created a network of over 75 faith-based communities in the Southern Louisiana area to provide outreach technical assistance and training in implementing successful strategies for HIV/AIDS prevention and education to the African-American community. BRASS has shared in collaborative efforts with several human service and health care organizations, and is also an official resource for HIV counseling and testing, community education and prevention of HIV/AIDS, volunteerism, referral and information and provides many other community resources.

Grant Project Information

Faith-based AIDS Coalition for Technical Assistance and Services (FACTS)
$255,000
Arnold Johnson
(225) 923-2437
stdaids@aol.com

Abstract

The purpose of the project is to develop and improve effective and durable service delivery capacity for HIV prevention and treatment in 18 identified faith-based minority-serving communities that are closely interfaced with the target population impacted by HIV/AIDS in high-risk areas of Southern Louisiana. BRASS hopes to increase the amount of HIV/AIDS services that are accessible in high-risk, socioeconomically-disadvantaged areas in Baton Rouge. In 2001, the Baton Rouge region had the highest HIV/AIDS case rate in the state, and the African-American community has been devastated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 2005, African-Americans made up 82 percent of new cases of HIV/AIDS in Baton Rouge. The target population is African-American males and females residing in high-risk areas in the target community. In order to achieve their goals, FACTS will first conduct an initial needs assessment to identify gaps in high-need areas, and then FACTS will provide technical assistance and capacity-building trainings to program participants. FACTS will mainly use trainings to help participants develop the appropriate skills and programs. They will also offer fiscal and administrative assistance. In addition, FACTS will coordinate linkages with community resources for the participants. They subsequently expect the following outcomes from this project:

• Increase the number of faith-based, minority-serving communities that provide effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care services,
• Increase the infrastructure, programmatic capacity and technical skills of faith-based communities located in high-risk areas and
• Increase the potential for sustainability of local faith-based African American communities that provides HIV/AIDS services.

• Increased resources available in high need areas,
• Eighty-five percent of the participants demonstrate increased infrastructure and programmatic capacity and
• Eighty-five percent of the participants indicate the technical assistance has enhanced their organizational capacity.

Evaluation will be conducted by the Resource and Fund Development Group. Evaluators will use customized data collection tools, surveys, focus groups, observations and in-depth interviews to evaluate process, outcome and impact indicators. Furthermore, the participant agencies will complete a pre-survey and post-survey evaluating both organizational capacity and HIV/AIDS services provided.

• Increased awareness, education, & outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health & health disparities problems
• Improved access to, and appropriate utilization of, health & other community-based services and systems through user-centered design for racial/ethnic minorities (e.g., health IT, culturally/ linguistically appropriate services, service provider education/ training, workforce diversity)
• Strengthened leadership and coordination to leverage resources and enhance effectiveness and efficiency of individual and collective efforts (including, but not limited to, research and data)