CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Last week the state of Virginia announced a three-year strategy to address racial disparities, language barriers, and cultural barriers to HIV health care services utilization. According to the Statewide Comprehensive Plan for HIV Services, officials will join with ethnic and faith-based organizations to extend treatment to underserved populations and work to ensure culturally sensitive service provision. Services targeting minority communities, specifically those at higher risk for HIV, are of particular concern.
"The [minority] concern has been apparent to people addressing HIV issues for a long time," said Diana Jordan, health care service director. "In this plan, our intent is to take a more tangible approach."
The department also hopes to ensure that non-English-speaking patients can access treatment, an issue brought to light in public forums held last fall. "What we did hear is that there aren't necessarily enough providers that have Spanish-speaking capability," Jordan said, "or that are used to serving populations with special needs," including the homeless, released prisoners, and transgender people.
"They report that sometimes providers are uncomfortable discussing their sexual behaviors," Jordan said. As a consequence, some high-risk communities may miss out on prevention messages.
Virginia plans to count non-English-speaking HIV patients, boost recruitment of multilingual care providers, and create a directory of multilingual services. Officials will also survey state-funded providers' cultural competence and develop a training program about prejudices. (AP)
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Conjoined twins Lori Schappell and trans man George Schappell dead at 62
April 27 2024 6:13 PM
Latest Stories
Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for president
July 22 2024 4:07 PM
Charli XCX declares Kamala Harris IS brat & our next President's campaign agrees
July 22 2024 3:08 PM
Pete Buttigieg roasts JD Vance and his gay tech bro billionaire
July 22 2024 1:42 PM
The AIDs pandemic can be ended by 2030, but governments must act: report
July 22 2024 1:01 PM
Conservatives' first attack on Kamala Harris: Pronouns and accessibility?
July 22 2024 12:45 PM
Advancing equality during Disability Pride Month
July 22 2024 11:30 AM