Aniz, Inc Baton Rouge Satellite (ABRS)
Aniz established the Aniz Baton Rouge Satellite (ABRS) in 2003, due to the rising number of HIV seropositive African Americans reported by the department of health in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ABRS located at 2561 Citiplace Court in Baton Rouge has a mission to provide holistic therapeutic education and prevention services for underserved multicultural populations, with a focus on African Americans. ABRS implemented a program based on the Harm Reduction behavioral change model: Holistic Harm Reduction Program (HHRP). Current activities of the ABRS HHRP focus on outreaching to at-high risk intravenous drug using (IDU) multicultural populations and their sexual and/or needle sharing partners, who have been disproportionately impacted by HIV disease. Through foundation funding ABRS provides critical harm reduction materials to assist active IDU'S reduce their risks associated with unprotected sex and needle sharing, and through the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), ABRS provides health education and Rapid HIV Screening and Service Referrals to reduce the transmission and acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
During the first six weeks after Katrina, Aniz 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 served as the liaison to coordinate the efforts of local agencies serving HIV seropositive and opiate addicted individuals.
In September 2005, ABRS’ Holistic Harm Reduction Program was awarded funds by the Syringe Access Fund of the Tides Foundation and the North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN) to provide HIV prevention and risk reduction services to minority IDUs in Baton Rouge. Program staff have completed the following activities: secured 4 memorandums of understanding (MOU) with community organizations, convened the ABRS Community Advisory Board (CAB), engaged 5 Community Gatekeepers to support the efforts of the ABRS Outreach Team, distributed over 3,694 HIV/STI Prevention Kits to at-risk IDUs, provided technical assistance to organizations working with IDU populations and advocated with policy makers, OPH/HAP and the LA Community Planning Group to support funding for IDU harm reduction activities
In July 2008, Aniz of Louisiana has started to implement a highly successful Aniz program called "We Want to Know" to children and youth from 5 to 17 at local YMCA's in the Baton Rouge area. We are also developing educational programs for the large-scale homeless populations in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana.
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