ANIZ, INC.Empowering Adults and Children Through Education and Therapeutic Intervention to Prevent Aids to the next Generation

Aniz, Inc. is a non-profit organization. Our mission is to provide comprehensive health and awareness education and prevention services for disadvantaged multicultural children, youth, young adults, families and grandparents, and to provide skills training to organizations that implement disease prevention and health promotion programs.

Aniz, Inc. was formed in 1996 as a 501 (c) (3), non-profit human services organization to empower children and adults through professional support and therapeutic intervention.

Our staff consists of professionals and paraprofessionals representing over 40 years of combined experience in many disciplines.  Our multi-disciplinary team specializes in:

HIV/AIDS
Mental Health
Substance Abuse
Case Management Services
Support Groups for Affected/Infected Children
Program Development and Evaluation

By working in collaboration with agencies and other non-profit organizations serving the Multicultural community, we are able to reach those who have historically been overlooked and underserved.   

A primary goal of Aniz is to be a resource to Multicultural Americans and other under-served populations and to those organizations dedicated to meeting their needs.  As African-American mental health professionals we know the needs, we understand the barriers, and we know how to affect change within our community. 

We also know that HIV/AIDS and substance abuse affects us all.  We are proud of our culturally competent staff and culturally relevant services. 

HISTORY/BACKGROUNG

Initial efforts prior to incorporation:

•  In the latter period of 1994-1996 (during social work internship at Outreach, Inc.), the idea of working with HIV infected/affected African American children became a reality for Zina Age, an African American, Founder and Executive Director of Aniz, Inc.

•  The children of HIV/AIDS clients were unrecognized and therefore were underserved by the adult serviced agency.

•  Generally, the children were observed at play in the corner of the room while the   adults were involved in-group. The children were provided no structured activities except for occasional snacks.

•   Zina Age began to concentrate on the unmet needs of these special children by exploring a list of agencies that served HIV infected/affected children.  The results of her investigation indicated no formalized services within the Metro Atlanta region.

•  Although Ms. Age’s primary responsibility was to work with adults, Ms. Age felt a need to provide services to the children who frequent the agency with their parents. Thus, her efforts with the children continued as she shared the reality with other Professionals and associates in the field.  The program for children was later entitled "We Want To Know" and now consist of activities that promote prevention and risk reduction education for children ages 17 and under.

•  Consequently, a group of dedicated professional and paraprofessionals joined in with Ms. Age to support efforts of the organization by attending numerous planning Meetings and working through strategies to expand the Founder’s initiative.

•  Ms. Age decided to formalize her idea by applying for incorporation. She named the initiative Aniz, Inc.  Aniz is her first name spelled backward.

Achievement of Non-profit status:

•  The organization received its 501 (c ) (3) status in 1996 in which by this time, efforts with infected women and children were in realization for nearly three years.

•  Aniz’s mission as adopted early on  to provide comprehensive health and awareness education and prevention services for disadvantaged multicultural children, young adults, families, grandparents and caregivers to provide skills training to organizations that implement disease prevention and health promotion programs. With this Mission, the organization provide services onsite at adult services agencies throughout the Metro Atlanta region.

• Some of the services offered consisted of psychosocial assessment, substance abuse
counseling, mental health counseling and prevention/risk reduction education.

• Because funding to serve infected and affected children were very scarce the
organization experienced setbacks in terms of expanding services to children in other
areas.  Basically, Aniz, Inc relied on professional and paraprofessional volunteers to carry out the mission of the organization.

Identification of funding:

• Although, Aniz, Inc’s efforts had begun prior to 1996, it did not seek funding until its
cooperation status was obtained in 1996.  Nevertheless, successful funding was a
major challenge for the organization.

• Ultimately, with limited private donations, the organization was able to expand
services to adults and children in Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton and Gwinnett
counties.

Expansion of service provision:

•   With limited funds and efforts of dedicated volunteer professionals and paraprofessionals, the organization was able to provide a range of services to persons living with HIV/AIDS at existing community-based agencies in the Metro Atlanta region.

-  From 1994-1997 support groups for infected/affected children, and risk reduction groups with teens and adults were provided at Outreach, Inc.

- From 1996 to Present prevention/intervention groups and psychosocial assessments for women applying for transitional housing with Sister Love, Inc.  & Jerusalem house.

In 1996 Aniz, Inc developed “WE WANT TO KNOW” Program which is a 16-week prevention education program, designed to increase knowledge and awareness regarding children infected/ affected with HIV/AIDS. This program focuses on children and youth ages 5-16, who have the desire to learn about HIV/AIDS.

1. Beginning in 1998 to present, Aniz, Inc serves as a service provider for  Domestic Violence Register in Cobb County to provide counseling and assessment to clients that disclose HIV/AIDS, substance abuse or same sex issues.
2. From 1997-1999 Aniz, Inc offered risk reduction education to African American teens accessing health clinics in the Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton and City of Atlanta areas.  A lack of funding has caused termination of these services.

-  In 1998 Services by Aniz, Inc were offered to high risk children at Devereux Treatment Center in Kennesaw, Georgia.

-In 1999, Aniz, Inc developed a model program for at risk African American teen females that are sexually active and therefore are at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The program is a risk reduction model entitled:

“(AFLASH)Adolescent Females Learning About Surviving Healthy”

AFLASH is a gender-specific risk reduction program for females who are at risk for HIV, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted diseases. AFLASH touches the lives of young females who may be infected and have not been tested. This program is effective for females ages 13-19, and has a long-range goal to prevent & reduce viral infections among this population

- July 2000, Aniz, Inc developed and is receiving funding for a Day
Treatment Model: “REACHING OUT TO SISTERS WITH HIV/AIDS” ROSHA. This program is currently serving Women comprise individuals with HIV and co-occcurring issues such as substance abuse and mental illness.

- Jan 2001 , Aniz, Inc Developed an important part of  advocacy to ROSHA Program for Women to keeping informed about issues that impact mental health, substance abuse and other at risk factors; encouraging Women to contact policy makers and elected officials to foster positive change; and mobilizing the community to speak out on important issues. The goal is to promote self-advocacy in order to advance the dignity, quality of life and quality of care of individuals and families directly infected/ affected by HIV/AIDS.

- August 2001, Aniz, Inc developed Substance Abuse Treatment Center for Affected/Infected with HIV) SATCH is a day treatment program for men & women recently released from jail who are infected/affected with HIV and other co-occurring issues provides structured therapeutic support and intensive therapy relative to substance abuse, mental health and other related social issues.

- October 2003, Aniz, Inc established a satellite office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (ABRS) to provide services Holistic Harm Reduction Program to intravenous drug users at high risk for HIV and Hepatitis C infection.  The program is based on a Harm Reduction Model and has been funded by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals as well as private foundations.

- August 2005, during the first six weeks after Katrina, Aniz, Inc. operated out of the  River Center working under the Louisiana State Office of Emergency Preparedness --through a contract with Baton Rouge General Hospital, to provide services to those impacted by the hurricane. As a member of the Emergency Preparedness team, Aniz, Inc served as the liaison to coordinate the efforts of local agencies serving HIV sero-positive and opiate addicted individuals.

- September 2007.  While participating in the arena of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C prevention, Aniz, Inc. came to the realization that there was another link; an "invisible community" that until now, had been overlooked in outreach programs aimed at prevention. Grandmothers hands and eventually Grandparents Hands was created to address this issue. It focuses on education, prevention, and healthy living choices for the senior citizen community. It's mission, "Learn from One, Teach One" provides a closing of the gaps between senior citizens and those that have grandchildren in teaching a practical goal of fostering education from start to finish in preventing HIV/AIDS to the next generations.

For More Information Call: 1-866-521-2410 Headquarters Office / 225-628-1105 Satellite Office