Salud Latina/Latino Health opened the commemoration of National Latino Aids Awareness Day 2007 (NLAAD) in Illinois hosting a Legislative Breakfast in Springfield. Distinguished guests included Senator W. Delgado, Rep C. Soto, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, Rep. KarenYarborough, Rep. Greg Harris, Rep. Esther Golar and Rep. Chapa LaVia. Steven Guerra , Chief of Staff from the Governor’s office joined the event to highlight the impact of HIV among Latinos in Illinois. This successful event was made in collaboration with Project VIDA, OASIS, The CORE Center, Open Door Clinic, Cass County Health Department, Mi Raza , Centro San Bonifacio and the Humboldt Park Wellness Coalition.

Illinois Latino HIV Statewide Network

Salud Latina/Latino Health, OASIS and Project VIDA with the support of the Illinois Department of Public Health, public health and advocacy stakeholders, and in collaboration with a broad statewide representation of HIV service provider organizations is establishing the Latino HIV Statewide Network. In representation of this group we are inviting new partners to become active members of this initiative. The overall goal is “to establish a permanent Latino HIV Statewide Network of HIV providers that engage Latinos in HIV education, outreach, testing and continuum of care services”. During the first six months of the year 2008 the ILHIVSN expects 1) To conduct an assessment process identifying providers that deliver HIV services to Latinos throughout the State of Illinois; 2) To analyze and interpret data from surveys, interviews and other sources to define strengths, gaps, opportunities and strategies to propose system changes, and 3) To develop a communication strategy to inform IDPH, CDPH, public health officials and legislators about priorities that impact the delivery of HIV services to Latinos in Illinois.

To join the Illinois Latino HIV Statewide Network or for additional information please contact Patricia Canessa or Mayra Chacon at (312) 913-3001.

Salud Latina's Programs

Por Nuestra Salud

The Por Nuestra Salud program is working to develop an HIV prevention program targeting high-risk Latino Immigrants and recent immigrants who reside in rural and non-urban areas of Illinois.
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Platicas de Comadres

Initially funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) this initiative leveraged on the prior identification of beauticians and barber shops as productive venues where health information was disseminated. In this model Latina beauticians are trained to have conversations with their customers and provide information about HIV and testing resources, as well as begin to identify emerging risk behaviors among the targeted population.

Despite its success, the original health advisor model contributed very little in understanding the framework that supported the validity of this intervention. Platicas de Comadres takes the second step in the formulation of a theoretical framework that includes fundamentals of the AIDS Reduction model and the Trans-theoretical model. Through this new definition of the community advisor function it is possible to better understand the effective communication of HIV issues and how slowly individuals give consideration to change their risk behavior as they acquire new protective responses (such as learning refusal skills or condom negotiation).

Following the engagement of fifteen Comadres and over 200 customers Platicas de Comadres has taken a rapid shift from being a community movement in the city of Elgin, where the Comadres’ beauticians began to bring their husbands and partners to their refresher meetings, which resulted in a two prong campaign to educate women and men about the risk behaviors that expose them to HIV/AIDS and STDs.

Through its second year Comadres will expand the intervention to Aurora and Carpentersville where it expects to include interventions to deter new trends and risk behaviors that promote HIV testing among individuals at high risk of infection.

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Aire Puro Vida Sana

Latino  community participation in policy development  historically has been limited specifically in small towns and suburban areas. The local approval of tobacco ordinances represent a unique opportunity to enhance the capability of still anonymous community leaders to become known and contribute to the welfare of their communities. Aire Puro/Vida Sana uses the slow but continued process of building testimony, hearings and participating in the implementation of Clean Air Tobacco Ordinances taking place in Lake, Kane and DuPage Counties. . SL/LH leveraged on a long standing relationship with  Latino health Coalitions  and social services providers in the targeted counties by conducting training and providing demonstration events enhancing leadership skills and integrating clean air in the agenda of Latino wellness. The project has engaged numerous providers who benefit from Spanish speaking materials, development of a SL/LH tobacco ordinance toolkit and community education materials.

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Salud Latina is constantly collaborating with other organizations and developing free trainings and workshops. We also develop a quarterly newsletter with original articles and announcements. Join our mailing list to stay updated via e-mail.

 

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About Salud Latina

OUR MISSION is to enable local, regional and national organizations to promote and develop the growth of healthy Latino communities.

Salud Latina/Latino Health (SLLH) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting organizational development, training administrators, and disseminating culturally competent models of intervention and resource development.

Salud Latina offers training and technical assistance to service providers and administrators, health departments, planning committees, community based organizations, and faith based organizations with the purpose of establishing appropriate intervention and prevention treatments and services that are culturally competent and in response to a variety of physical and social conditions that commonly affect Latinos in the United States.

Salud Latina/Latino Health receives grants and funding from public offices like the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Office of Minority Health, and other private sectors. As a result of our funding, we are capable of providing our services free of charge to all organizations that meet the criteria clearly defined in our grants. Generally, we provide free services to any non-profit or charitable organization that is either located in a Latino neighborhood, or that has Latinos participating in the congregation membership.

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