Prevention Services
HIV related stigma and silence play a key role in why rates of infection among youth and adults in ACB communities are disproportionately higher. ACB people are many times more likely to be living with HIV than white Canadians and more than 2/3rds of all women living with HIV in Toronto are ACB.
The Black CAP Prevention Program aims to build partnerships in order to create safe spaces for members of the African, Caribbean, Black (ACB) community to participate in culturally sensitive dialogue around their HIV/AIDS, STI risk, sexual health and healthy relationships. The Program works to service youth (under 29) and adults (30+).
Our Prevention Program is guided by objectives:
- To deliver STBBI prevention education to ACB community members and service providers that serve ACB communities.
- To work with the community to develop relevant STBBI prevention programs that are community-based, and rooted in culturally aware, trauma informed, harm reduction frameworks.
- To research the current challenges that ACB communities in Toronto are facing with respect to effective STBBI prevention and risk factors.
- To collaborate with community partners and stakeholders to raise awareness on the social determinants of health that have a direct impact on the disproportionate rates of HIV in in ACB communities.
Prevention Program:
- Offers bi-monthly low barrier COVID Vaccine clinics for ACB community members.
- Leads Black CAP’s partnership with the Black Resilience Cluster, one of 13 Community Coordination Plan (“CCP”) tables across the city of Toronto.
- Offers educational workshops and evidence-based interventions meant to empower people to make safer choices surrounding their overall health, promote sexual health, healthy relationships and reduce STBBI related sigma and discrimination.
- Offers evidence-based intervention for people living with HIV or those at greater risk.
- Advocacy to engage institutions and community stakeholders in HIV related campaigns, research, prevention education programming.
- To research and monitor the current realities of HIV risk for ACB communities and develop responsive programming.
- Participates in ACB steering committees, research committees, and ACB promotion and engagement working groups with the aim of increasing HIV testing and connection to care for members of the ACB community.
- Participate as a Provincial Worker in networks such as the African Caribbean Council on HIV and AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO), etc.
- Offers solution focused sexual health counselling and referrals. Provides referrals to HIV & STI testing, treatment, biomedical interventions, and culturally aware community supports and pathways to care.
- Delivery of outreach in the GTA.
- Condom & resource distribution.
This program is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – AIDS Bureau
_________________________________________________________
Mary Yehdego
Prevention Specialist (Lead)
Mobile: 437-855-3222
Phone: 416-977-9955, ext. 228
Email: wprevention@black-cap.com
B.C.A.P works to create culturally relevant outreach, prevention and support services for people infected with, affected by, or at risk of contracting HIV.
OUR MISSIONS
ACHIEVED
10000 lbs
FOOD DONATED
200+
PARTNERS
5000+
YOUTH SUPPORTED
With more than 3,000 Black people living with HIV/AIDS in Ontario and tens of thousands more at risk, we depend on your support. We’ve made great gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS in our community, but we can’t celebrate yet.
Help Black CAP keep the momentum up by making a donation!