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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2002)
january 18. 200?» 15 [n\u\ViH^iinews B reak of D awn Health worker wins state award as frontline warrior against HIV by Ja c k T u rteltau b D awn Spellman— a quiet but dedi come in. Spellman also is available if users cated fighter in the war against “want to talk to someone.” She says crystal meth is a huge problem and HIV for the past 12 years— has been named Health Educator of “almost unrecognized” in parts of the gay com munity. She describes speed as “the perfect drug the Year by W ashington states AIDSNet. She is the recipient for the South for gay men. If you have self-esteem issues, it west W ashington Health District, a region cov goes away. If you want to lose weight, it helps you do that. You want to have a lot of sex, there ering 11 counties. you go. It’s scary because we’re not addressing it The soft-spoken lesbian is modest about the from a health perspective.” recognition, saying “it probably has more to do Spellman notes the greatest dangers lie in with the years I’ve been doing it. I feel wonder ful that I was recognized, but there are a lot of the way crystal meth affects brain neurotrans mitters— leading to long-term depression— and people who are deserving.” an increased risk for HIV and hepatitis infec Supervisor Therese Falkner begs to differ. She says Spellman “brings a passion and com tions as many users engage in more frequent and more unsafe sex, especially when they are high. mitment to her work,” part of “an uphill battle She has tracked one compelling statistic with in every community” against HIV and other program participants: Before getting informa sexually or blood-transmitted diseases. Education coordinator Suzanne Hidde, last year’s award recipient in the dis trict, describes her col league as “a tenacious ad vocate for the disenfran chised, marginalized and underrepresented popula tions” she serves. “Dawn tries to look at the bigger picture...hom eless shel ters, health clinics, drug and alcohol centers, how to bridge the gap between agencies.” The Wyoming native moved to the Portland area in 1995, working part time at Cascade AIDS Project, where she devel oped and coordinated HIV education, outreach, Dawn Spellman coordinates an H IV outreach clinic and a crystal testing and peer counsel meth needle exchange program ■» ing programs. She later tion, 30 percent used needles only once before took a part-time job in Vancouver that turned discarding; after learning more, that number into a full-time job. Today, Spellman coordinates an off-site out increased to 70 percent. The harm reduction model, the essence of reach clinic providing HIV testing and informa which is “to deal with people where they’re at, tion for gay and bi men. It is held twice a week not where we think they should be,” is critical to in downtown Vancouver. Spellman’s work. This public health philosophy Spellman believes the program is working because it reduces some of the barriers pre attempts to give them the information and tools to make their own decisions, regardless of oth venting gay and bi men from getting tested. ers’ moral beliefs. Many "don’t feel comfortable” walking into a “I believe in people,” Spellman says. “People regular health departm ent and prefer the con don’t always make the right choices, but if they venience, perhaps th e anonym ity, of an are given the right information, I think they will evening clinic. make better choices.” The program is making a difference because So the fight goes on. Spellman knows there these people otherwise would not get tested, are no easy answers, but she’s an absolute believ according to Spellman. “It’s appalling to me er in health education and giving people real that some men are not finding that they are HIV-positive until being admitted to the hospi choices. Her many years of concern is obvious as she talks about preventing sexually transmitted tal with PCP,” a type of pneumonia that can diseases and helping those "who are stigmatized develop when the virus attacks a weakened by our society.” immune system. Spellman lives happily with her partner, Kim Spellm an also is working on hepatitis screening and vaccination. Last summer “we set Connor, in Vancouver. They have two dogs hut no cats in the otherwise “average lesbian house up a testing booth and free hepatitis screening for the guys and free breast exams for the ladies hold.” Spellman loves to travel, plays softball and stays in touch with her family in Wyoming at Saturday in the Park,” Vancouver’s annual and her partner’s family in California. J D Pride festival. She also is excited about her work with a crystal methamphetamine needle exchange pro For more information contact D a w n SPELLMAN at 360-397-8078 or dspellma@sivwhd.iua.gov. gram targeting the gay male community. Like the HIV clinic, it uses a harm reduction ap Portland free-lance writer, coach and psycholo proach so users can make better choices. The program provides free needles, condoms gist J a c k T urteltaub may be reached at turtelta@ e-znet. and lots of information to people when they OCtf^ \ o t '° v V ete* atWe M * x r \ eOc e It'4 My Piuctwu M te t' te 6 er li v e \ M Sexy Gifts Exciting Ideas and Unique Apparatus W e 'r e c o m p a c t & w e 'r e w o n d e r f u l ! ( Worth every inch!) 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