26
» aprii 6.2001
r
• i 1 I
I
t s not over.
Brochures and billboards alike convey
the message from Cascade AID S Project
that HIV and AIDS are still serious
■
health concerns. The slogan, however,
just as easily could apply to the nonprofit orga
nization, which for years fought for its own
—
wel l -bei ng. O f its recov-
K " T .- a ery. executive director
% V k, ? J ''- | Thomas Bruner pro-
i l l claims, "Cascade AIDS
'
I Project is healthier today,
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in every way, than at any
other time in its history.”
Confronted with growing
T
' f
had to ask that question before. Today, organi
zations that aren’t asking the question are short
sighted and should be asking the question.”
Bruner also questions the goals of the sup
port services C A P provides by asking: “Toward
what end are we serving you? If we don’t know
what our goal is, how do we know if we’re
there or not? How do we gauge if we’re making
any progress?”
C A P now is implementing a long-term
strategy for life with HIV or AIDS. In February,
the organization hired Bevan Hurd for the new
position of intake coordinator.
As a single, initial point of contact, he will
work one-on-one with new clients to tailor
individualized, goal-oriented programs. A key
component will he each client’s personal par
ticipation in determining his or her own needs.
“This social worker will conduct a thought
ful, extended interview with you to really assess
with you— not for you— what you need,”
Bruner says. “And what you don’t need, what
you don’t want and what you’re not willing to
do. How long you want or expect help. What
we’re going to do, what you’re going to do. Our
limits, your limits. The discussion has changed
from this vague, poorly defined, ‘I need; you
help; great, here we go’ to a very different one,
in which this is a partnership.”
the reins in lyyo. lo
■
1 some> C A P does lcx)k bet
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ter. To others, there are
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^
scars.
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Although some
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restriicturing was neces-
sary simply to provide
financial stability, other
. .
changes have been in
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direct response to the evt
lution of the epidemic.
.
National statistics contin
r
. ue to indicate two major
trends are affecting
_
_
l
HIV/AIDS health and
human services organiza
tions around the country. First, sophisticated
drug regimens have extended life. Second, the
demographics of the population with HIV or
base is accompanied by a different set o f com
AIDS continue to shift.
panion issues. No
The combination of these two
longer is it simply
dynamics has caused C A P to
about sexual behavior
ineuexuM itr-i
reassess who it serves, what it can
but a whole range of
do for them and how to offer
struggles interconnect
001. t • tftttt I
those services within the con
ed with a client’s HIV
straints of limited resources.
status.
"It’s been clear for some years
“More and more
now that the need is so big, so
frequently, HIV or
complicated and multifaceted
AID S is one of an
array of human needs
that people bring to
our door,” Bruner says.
Bruner says. "Places like ^his
mm
“Places like this need
In this
issue:
often have had a very difficult
it r - r H f
to be knowledgeable
time admitting the difference
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and resourceful regard
between what they can do and
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ing a multitude of
what they can’t, as opposed to
pH
health and human ser
saying, ‘Here’s the piece of this
vice issues.’
that we can help with, and we’ll
He lists among
help you find people that can help with the other
them drug addiction, alcoholism, homelessness,
pieces.’ ”
mental illness, illiteracy and long-term unem
ployment. These concerns often pre-empt dis
cussion of HIV prevention or treatment. When
faced with day-to-day survival, a client might
not want to talk about how to receive medical
r , ***"" 7 In the earlier days of the epidem- attention.
/ ■ *c > caseworkers would see clients
“We’re working on how to manage this dis
/ for only weeks or months. Death was
ease within the context of their entire life,”
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/ the ultimate and rather immediate
deputy executive director Dan Bueling says. “If
Wj
/ closure of C A P’s relationship with its
the goal is to get people stabilized and treated
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/ clients.
and healthy, then you have to address the other
/
/ Today, caseworkers see clients for years,
barriers that prevent them from doing that.”
/ sometimes continually and sometimes
/ sporadically. The organization, therefore,
/ finds it necessary to reshape how it defines
/ the meeting of a client’s needs— and how
/ to find adequate long-term funding to
s part of its realization that it cannot meet
/ ensure those services are effective and avail-
the full demand for assistance, C A P has
’ able for an extended period of time.
become an arbiter of who needs help and who
“Let’s say you have HIV,” Bruner hypothe
can help themselves. A diagnosis of HIV or
sizes. “How long do we serve you? Do we serve
AID S no longer is sufficient to guarantee entry
you for a while? Do we serve you for years and
through C A P ’s door. Instead, an unfulfilled
years? Do we serve you until you die? We never
need must exist.
Complicated companions
NCIGMORHOOO
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Timeout
T imothy K rause
P hotos by M arty D avis
by
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»
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Casearie. I Cascade
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