Case Management
Nutrition Services Program
Group Support Programs
Personal Support Programs
HIV Resource Library and Internet Access
Referral and Advocacy
Hampton Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (HAPPI)
HIV-STD Prevention Services
Technical Assistance and Training
Case Management: Progress Logs were maintained for 255 unduplicated clients, utilizing 7,742 hours of Case Management and Support Staff time from 01/01/06-12/31/06. 5,698 supportive services were provided during the time period.
In 2006 ACCESS provided $ 20,958 in assistance to individuals: rents, utilities, medical care, medications, insurance co-pays, mental health care, dental care, food and household support, substance abuse treatment, transportation, and other support services.
Nutrition Services Program: The HIV-sensitive food program was established to ensure that our clients would no longer have to make the difficult choice of deciding what to pay for with their limited resources Food on the table or medicine to stay alive. The Nutrition Services Program combines community resources while maintaining clients confidentiality. Throughout the year regional faith-based partners, local food pantries, private and public schools, and businesses donate foods. The Postal Service and other organizations hold food drives, and the items are given to ACCESS for distribution to clients. Non-perishable canned and boxed foods are purchased in bulk from The Low Country Food Bank Yemassee Branch. The local food recovery project - Second Helpings delivers fresh produce, breads, dairy products, dessert items, fresh meat items (occasionally) and frozen venison (from the culling of deer herds on Hilton Head Island) to our door at no cost to ACCESS. Additional items are purchased from local grocers to round out client's food boxes.
If you are a client and would like to participate in the food program - click here!
If you'd like to volunteer to help in our Food Program click here!
Personal assessments and monitoring are offered by ACCESS staff for correct diet, menu planning, shopping for foods to nourish the client's body consistent with their disease stage, medications, and personal resources.
The Nutrition Services Program also sponsors the Holiday Gifts Project. The project helps families with children affected by HIV/AIDS in the LowCountry experience a more "normal" holiday season with gifts and food baskets provided by ACCESS community partners. In 2006 the holiday gifts project provided gifts for over 155 children, and holiday meals (Thanks Giving and Christmas) to over 550 persons.
Would you like to help with the ACCESS Holiday Gifts Project?? - click here!
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Group Support Programs: Confidential support groups meet on an as needed basis. Groups are available for persons with HIV/AIDS, and for families, friends, and partners. The groups provide a safe environment where individuals can receive and share information, and mutual social and emotional support. Treatment education and disease management through Living Healthy Workshops are an integral part of group work. The ACCESS resource libraries are now equipped with Internet access for clients use to reach on-line support groups. If you're a client and would like to join a support group - click here!
Personal Support Programs: Staff and volunteers provide practical and emotional assistance and follow-up for clients and their families, and provide limited home-based care, transportation, and linkage to other resources. ACCESS also helps keep clients informed about new developments of the treatment of the disease with the latest publications. For persons in outlying, rural areas who are unable to receive the one-on-one support, periodic contacts and linkages to agencies' services are provided. If you're a client and in need of support - click here!
HIV Resource Library and Internet Access: ACCESS has collected over the years an HIV sensitive resource library for client use. Recent and updated publications are continuously added to the library so clients may have access to advances in treatment, exercise, nutrition, side-effects, non-compliance, co-infection, prevention, and many other issues that are important to HIV + persons. In addition each office now has internet access available to clients along with one-on-one training.
Referral and Advocacy: Guidance in advocacy for HIV+ clients and Family-member clients, as well as for all HIV "affected" persons is provided. Services include, but are not limited to, legislative contacts, referrals for legal aid, and liaison with other organizations and agencies. Staff and volunteers also respond to telephone inquiries by providing information, referral, counseling, and education.
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Hampton Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (HAPPI)
Purpose: The purpose of the Hampton Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative is to plan, organize and deliver Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Interventions to targeted at-risk populations in Hampton County in order to reduce the incidence of Adolescent Pregnancies.
The Hampton Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (HAPPI) was founded in 1999 with the mission to plan, organize and deliver Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Interventions to targeted at-risk populations in Hampton County. Since then the Council has grown to include in its membership other county wide and regional organizations and collaborations. The Council has become an important fixture in the youth services organizations of Hampton County.
A major measurable accomplishment of the Council included reducing the occurrence of adolescent pregnancies in Hampton County by 33 % over a three-year period. If you would like more information about HAPPI - click here
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HIV-STD Prevention Services:
- ACCESS serves as the lead agency for the Low Country HIV Prevention Collaborative (LCHPC), a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to delivering HIV/AIDS prevention activities, interventions, and programs to citizens in the counties of Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper. The Collaborative has received funding to support its various programs from local, regional and national foundations including: The Hilton Head Island Foundation, The Beaufort Fund, The Friends of Callawassie, The United Ways of Beaufort, Colleton and Hampton Counties, The Olive Tree Foundation, The Palmetto Electric Trust, Calhoun Station and private donations.
- Volunteers and staff from member organizations participate in monthly networking and planning meetings, and engage in health promotion activities in the local communities addressing HIV prevention issues. Member organizations include The ACCESS Network, The American Red Cross/Palmetto Chapter, LowCountry Health District/Health Departments, Beaufort County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Department, New Life Center, Planned Parenthood, and other community based youth and fraternal organizations. Professional and volunteer health educators provide HIV prevention programs to requesting groups and individuals. Teen awareness projects, such as the Rites of Passage program and the IAMR (I AM Responsible, Reliable and Respectful) receive special attention. Secondary prevention education for HIV clients is also offered. Would you like to join the Collaborative? If so: click here!
- Pre and Post HIV Testing & Counseling. The OraQuick non-invasive HIV antibody testing system offered by ACCESS allows for more flexible testing and counseling outreach. OraQuick Testing and Counseling is offered in the ACCESS offices in Hampton and Okatie, and specifically targeted locations. In the confidential pre-test counseling segment, persons assess their risk behavior with a trained counselor and are educated in methods and are provided with materials to reduce/eliminate future risk behavior. They are also counseled in how a reactive (positive) or a non-reactive test result will impact their lives. In confidential post-test counseling those testing positive are counseled and referred to ACCESS Case/Care Management for further services. Those persons testing negative receive risk reduction counseling and materials on how to maintain a non-reactive (negative) result and a healthy lifestyle. In 2006, ACCESS delivered 330 individual HIV Testing & Counseling sessions to at-risk persons throughout the service region. If you would like to make an appointment to be tested click here!
- Hepatitis C Virus Infection is a looming public health problem. SC DHEC estimates that in SC alone there are as many as 60,000 cases of HCV and no public awareness campaigns or prevention programs in existence. HCV is transmitted similarly to HIV and is classified as a sexually transmitted disease therefore HCV prevention is a new program for 2003 and beyond.
Technical Assistance and Training: Through workshops, seminars, and consultations, programs are provided, upon request, to human service and health care professionals, and volunteers to enhance the quality of services delivered to the community. In 2002 ACCESS delivered HIV/STD 101 Programs to the following Beaufort County organizations: Boys & Girls Clubs of Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, St. Francis by the Sea Catholic School, Hilton Head Preparatory School, Hilton Head Middle School, Hilton Head High School, Battery Creek High School, Lady's Island Middle School, Van Landingham Rotary Club, SC DHEC Beaufort Office, University of SC at Beaufort, Hope Cottage Volunteers, Beaufort County Drug and Alcohol, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority International Day of Service, Camp St. Mary's, and The Faith-Based Initiative: Our People Perish for Lack of Knowledge, North District Middle School, Hampton Elementary School, Estill Middle and High Schools. For technical assistance and training - click here!
