Aniz, Inc. 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. Aniz of Louisiana has a mission to provide holistic therapeutic education and prevention services for underserved multicultural populations, with a focus on African Americans. ABRS, now known as Aniz of Louisiana (Aniz-LA) implemented a program based on the Harm Reduction behavioral change model: Holistic Harm Reduction Program (HHRP). Current activities of the Aniz-LA HHRP focus on outreaching to at-high risk intravenous drug using multicultural populations and their sexual and/or needle sharing partners, who have been disproportionately impacted by disease. Through foundation funding Aniz-LA 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, Aniz-LA provides health education and Rapid HIV Screening and Service Referrals to reduce the transmission and acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections STI's.

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-positive and opiate addicted individuals.

Aniz-LA Holistic HIV 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.

This year, Aniz of Louisiana will implement its highly successful 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.

• Aniz of Louisiana
• Satellite Office
• 1761 North 49th St.
• Baton Rouge, LA 70802
• Tollfree: 1-866-521-2410
• aniz_la@aniz.org