35Years

ACRHealth.orgOpening doors to create healthy communities

July/August 2018ACR HEALTH NEWS

HEPATITIS C CASES UPIN CENTRAL NEW YORK

May 29, 2018 Syracuse ~ ACR Health issued a health alert regarding an alarming increase of hepatitis C (HCV) infections in Onondaga County, which now has one of the highest per capita rates of hepatitis C in New York State. Hepatitis C cases in Central New York have gone up 55 percent since 2012, higher than any other upstate region. HCV-related deaths have exceeded HIV-related deaths in upstate New York since 2007, and with injection drug

use as the most common risk factor, it is the opioid epidemic that has fueled the rise in new HCV cases.

HCV and HIV epidemics are linked as both are spread by sharing needles and other injection materials. Health officials estimate that as many as 70% of injection drug users could be infected with hepatitis C; and say that the most effective way to prevent new infections is by treat-ing hepatitis C among people who use injection drugs.

“People who use injection drugs need to re-learn the prevention messages associated with HIV/AIDS and use a clean sterile needle and supplies every time they inject,” said

Julie LaVere, ACR Health’s Director of Syringe Exchange Program.

Syringe exchanges have been instrumental in greatly reduc-ing the spread of HIV. In 1993, before NY established syringe exchange, nearly half of injection drug users were infected with HIV. Now the HIV infection rate is 2 percent.

ACR Health also provides safe disposal of used syringes. Safe disposal is paramount because

the hepatitis C virus can survive outside the body at room temperature, on environmental surfaces, for up to 3 weeks.

The only way to find out for sure if you have hepa-titis C is to be tested. The HCV test is a pin prick test, very much like the HIV test ACR Health administers. A prelimi-nary result in ten minutes. If the test it positive, a confirma-tory test is performed. Results from that test take about two weeks.

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• Hepatitis C infections (HCV) have tripled nation- wide since 2010 (CDC). • The greatest increases were among young people, aged 20-29 • From 2004-2014, HCV increased 400% among people aged 18-29 • In CNY the rate of HCV cases is up 55% since 2012 – higher than any other upstate region• In Onondaga County between 2012-2016, HCV rates were higher than the rest of the State; 105.3 (Onondaga); 73.9 (NYS)• In 2017, ACR Health tested 530 people for HCV and found 40 previously undiagnosed individuals

WIL MURTAUGHExecutive Director

SHANNON O’CONNORChair

ANTHONY ADORNATOVice-Chair

FRANCHESCA CLEMENTESecretary

M. PAUL MAHALICKTreasurer

JERENA BARKINSREBECCA BOSTWICK, MPAFRANCHESCA CLEMENTE

MILLICENT DAVISCRAIG S. EVANS

KRISTIE L. FULLERNIKKI HENDRIX

SUZANNE KONDRA-DEFURIAANDREW S. LONDON

NIEVES MADRID, JR., MDJARED RELES

NEIL R. TIERSON, PHARMDLEAH A. WITMER

ACR Health Hotline 800.475.2430

Syracuse Offices:• 627 West Genesee Street• 990 James Street, 2nd floor• The Q Center: 617 West Genesee Street• Syracuse Syringe Exchange: 637 West Genesee Street

Utica Office, Q Center, and Syringe Exchange:• 287 Genesee Street, 2nd floor

Watertown Offices:• 120 Washington Street, 3rd floor• Watertown Syringe Exchange: 135 Franklin Street

Canton Office:• 101 Main Street, 3rd floor

Newsletter EditorJean Kessner

ACR Health Hotline 800.475.2430

ACR Health in SyracuseMain Office

627 W. Genesee StreetSyracuse, New York 13204

315.475.2430 • 800.475.2430Fax 315.472.6515

990 James Street – 2nd floorSyracuse, NY 13203

315.475.2430

Q Center617 West Genesee StreetSyracuse, New York 13204

315.701.2431

Syringe Exchange637 West Genesee StreetSyracuse New York, 13204

315.475.2430 • 800.475.2430

ACR Health in UticaSyringe Exchange

287 Genesee Street • 2nd FloorUtica, New York 13501

315.793.0661 • Fax 315.735.9551

ACR Health in Watertown120 Washington Street • Suite 302

315.785.8222 • Fax 315.836.0033

Syringe Exchange135 Franklin Street

Watertown, New York 13601315.785.8222 • Fax 315.836.0033

ACR Health in Canton101 Main Street • 3rd floorCanton, New York 13617

315.386.4493 • Fax 315.386.2530

Newsletter EditorJean Kessner

To create healthy communities by openingdoors to services that enhance the

wellbeing of all.2

A community in which every personhas the opportunity to achieve optimal

health and equality.

Commitment to ExcellenceRespect for People & Community

Wellbeing Integrity

Empowerment Teamwork

Our Mission: Our Vision: Our Values:

LANGUAGE MATTERS. STIGMA KILLS. Language matters. Many of the individuals we serve at ACR Health are stigmatized: subjected to bigotry, intolerance, or injustice simply because of who they are, how they express themselves, their health conditions or disorders, or their financial wellbeing.

ACR Health has dealt with stigma since we opened our doors 35 years ago to serve people with AIDS. Discrimination then could be visceral, in-your-face, and dehumanizing. Are things better now? There are effective treatments for HIV/AIDS. You can have it and no one knows. Still, those with HIV make no mention of it when they apply for a job, or move into a new neighborhood, or enroll their children in school. Bias, and the fear it causes, endures.

ACR Health clients that face discrimination today seem to be injection drug users. We have a syringe exchange program (SEP) and a medical clinic. We have daily interactions with dozens of people who use those services. A few months ago Julia LaVere, the Director of our Syringe Exchange Program, was showing SEP to a television reporter. After about half an hour the reporter asked if he could talk to an addict. That he hadn’t seen any there. “Well, we call them human beings,” Julia said. “And you’ve been here for the past 30 minutes with people who use injection drugs. Just ask and see if anyone wants to talk to you.”

To be truly effective in our work to end the AIDS epidemic, we must ad-dress the long-standing problem of stigma. Stigma around HIV, substance use, sexual orientation, gender identity, hepatitis C, and mental health status has a terrible impact on human dignity and creates barriers to needed testing, care, support and treatment services.

ACR Health has stepped up the effort to employ targeted, quality improvement activities to promote welcoming, affirming, stigma-free services for all individuals.

Our Drug User Health Hub provides comprehensive, affirming health care services for individuals who often have a very high level of need for health care services, but feel marginalized from the health care system.

Stepping up our targeted efforts to engage young people who use drugs is critical to curtailing the increase of new hepatitis C cases and averting a new wave of cases of HIV in the coming years.

We are not perfect, but we strive to be a no judgment zone.

News Channel 9 Meteorologist Jim Teske with Sled for RED

winner Laura McKillip

Commitment to ExcellenceRespect for People & Community

Wellbeing Integrity

Empowerment Teamwork

Continued from page 1

“As with HIV, everyone needs to get tested and know their hepatitis C status,” said ACR Health Executive Director Wil Murtaugh. “There is a cure for most cases of hepatitis C, and ACR Health can help you access the medicine you need.”

Murtaugh extended his thank you to the City of Syracuse for allowing ACR Health to continue the Paint the Town RED tradition begun in 2011. Mayor Walsh (right) painted a red center line

on Salina Street, then turned the brush over to ACR Health Executive Director Wil Murtaugh to continue the task.

Should you be tested for hepatitis C? • Were you born between 1945-1965?• Did you receive a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992?• Have you been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS?• Do you currently inject drugs?• Have you ever injected drugs, even once?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you should talk to you doctor and be screened for hepatitis C.

Q CENTER PRIDE EVENTS In the North Country, a Pride Prom attracted 44 young people; and the showing of the hit movie Love, Simon brought out another big crowd in Lowville. “It was great!” according to Q Center Program Coordinator Hilary Avallone. North Country Prenatal/Perinatal Council sponsored the movie.

Q Center Pride festivities in Syracuse officially kicked off on June 1st, with a “Pride Prep” Friday Fun Night event where youth were provided papier mache masks to decoratein observance of this year’s Mardi Gras theme. Additionally, they applied for and were awarded at $500 “Pride Scholarship” to assist with the cost of Pride activities at the Q Center on behalf of the NYS LGBT Health and Human Services Network.

They marched in the Syracuse Pride Parade following brunch and most of the

youth attended the festival at the Inner Harbor with monetary assistance from the Q Center to cover this year’s required admission fee.

“I think that it’s essential for LGBTQ youth to participate and experi-ence our pride parade and festival so that they can see and feel this level of support firsthand; that the community is always evolving; and that each one of them has a place in it,” said Talia Shenandoah, Care Manager/Educator for the Q Center.

The Q Center booth at the Pride festival distributed morethan 1,000 safe sex kits to festival goers.

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Many thanks to our walkers, runners, sponsors, volunteers, and friends who turned out on June 3, 2018 to support ACR Health’s mission: To create healthy commu-nities by opening doors to services that enhance the wellbeing of all.

The Director of the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health, Johanne E. Morne, (center) came to Beaver Lake Nature Center from Albany with some very good news about the campaign to End AIDS in Central New York.

“Onondaga County has had a 43% decrease in people newly diagnosed with HIV, from 53 in 2012 to 30 in 2016. This is the time to continue to move forward together to build upon these successes.”

The 26th Annual AIDS Walk/Run is ACR Health’s largest outreach and fundraising event in Central New York. 100% of the money raised ($116,602 and counting!) stays in CNY to support ACR Health programming.

ACR Health would like to thank our Presenting Sponsors: Cathy J. Berry, MD & Associates and Empower Federal Credit Union; Premier Sponsors: Aegis Sciences Corp, MassMutual, and Wegmans; Supporting Sponsors: Bousquet Holstein PLLC, Gianelli Sausage, Kinney Drugs Foundation, MetLife, Northeast Dental Group, PharmBlue Specialty Pharmacy, Romano Auto Dealerships, SOS Plus, W.B. Mason, and Walgreens. Media Sponsors: Fox 68 WSYT, and WNTQ 93Q; and In-Kind Sponsors: Byrne Dairy, Dunkin Donuts, Outback Steakhouse, and Stewart’s Shops.

Wilpower came in 2nd with $11,302. Bill Louer, 3rd from left, middle row, was 2nd highest individual

fundraiser with $7,040.

Greg’s Rainbow was the Team with the Most MembersOld Navy of Syracuse was

2nd highest Corporate Team with $2,150

Placing 3rd with $4,687 was Scholars & Ballers.

The top Corporate Team was Echo Motors with $2,550

Team Stumblers won the award for the Top Community Team,

raising $26,139. Holding the plaque is Chuck Simpson, the top Individual Fundraiser with

$11,781. In the front, Margi Kieper, ranked 3rd highest with

$3,700.

26th Annual

AIDS Walk/Run

Most Creative Team was theEmpire of the Imperial

Magistracy

Top Youth Fundraising TeamWesthill High School

with $1,000

The top Corporate Team was Echo Motors with $2,550

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As New York State continues its push to End the AIDS Epidemic (ETE) by 2020, HIV testing remains a prime focus. An estimated 121,900 persons are living with HIV in New York State and health officials estimate that 93% of them have been identified. The remaining 7% will be identified the same as the rest: test by test.

On National HIV Testing Day ACR Health’s Safety First Outreach Team was at the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Rich Street in Syra-cuse offering free rapid HIV testing along with giveaways, snacks, and activities for children.

Across town, Walgreens on James Street in Eastwood joined stores nationwide in offering free HIV tests to anyone wanting to know their status.

“HIV is spread primarily by people who are unaware that they have the virus and who pass it on to others through unprotected sexual

contact,” said Community Prevention Coordinator K. Daniel Reed. “Once identified, individuals with HIV can be successfully treated to suppress the virus to undetectable and untransmittable levels.”

ACR Health’s North Coun-try Syringe Exchange Program (SEP), located at 135 Franklin

Street in Watertown, has become indispensable for those who use syringes on a regular basis and for property owners finding syringe litter on their property.

ACR Health often get calls from Factory Street Lodging for syringes found in and around their property. SEP Coordinator Allison Roselle and Prevention Health Advocate Doug Brown check in of-ten and supply them with a sharps container to use when they can’t go in person. But cleanup is not all outside work. “Once, we had a lady with diabetes who had about eight months’ worth of syringes in her apartment,” said Allison. “We were able to retrieve them for her, and enroll her in our program.”

For Doug Brown, cleaning up used syringes is a way to give back to the larger community for which he is grateful to once again be a part. “I was a client of the Utica Syringe Exchange and was able to turn my life around. I’d like OUR program to be for someone else what it was once for me.”

If you would like more information about accessing clean, sterile syringes for any use, our Watertown SEP office hours are:

Watertown Office Hours: 135 Franklin StreetMonday & Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m.Wednesday 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Or call 800.475.2430 or SEP@ACRHealth.org.

June 27, 2018National HIV Testing Day

Top Youth Fundraising TeamWesthill High School

with $1,000

A Good Diet Is Important for People with HIV

ACR Health received $47,478 from the Central New York Community Foundation to increase access to crucial LGBTQ-affirming mental health services for LGBTQ youth, and to increase families of LGBTQ youth’s ability to address the mental health needs of their child(ren), in Onondaga County.

The program will consist of mental health counseling for youth and families, support groups for LGBTQ youth and par-ents/caregivers, and educational workshops on mental health for LGBTQ youth and parents/caregivers.

Q Center staff will assist youth and in identifying appropriate and affirming services, including scheduling appointments and providing youth with appointment reminders. Transportation to and from the Q Center and partner agencies to attend ap-pointments will be provided.

The Q Center Certified Family Peer Advocate will work with parents and caregivers to as-sess their needs and strengths and link them to services within the community to support the mental health of their child.

The Q Center will make referrals to Syracuse University’s Couple & Family Therapy Cen-ter, Vera House or Psychological healthcare, depending on the need of the individual youth/family, for clinical services.

Thank you, Central New York Community Foundation, Inc. for making a difference in young people’s lives.

Empowering Youth

People with HIV benefit greatly from proper nutrition. Take the case of 53-year-old Donald Tate. Before enrolling in ACR Health’s Nutrition Education Program, Donald’s favorite food was Hot Pockets and the second favorite was Ramen Noodles. Both items are loaded with salt and Donald had high blood pressure.

Through nutrition education, Donald learned how to shop; how to cook; and how to read nutrition labels and reduce his salt intake. As he modified his behavior and diet and he started noticing positive changes. “My blood pressure is down, my digestion is improved and I don’t walk around hungry. I feel satisfied,” said Tate.

His favorite food now is broccoli, which he likes to eat with white rice, carrots, and baked – not fried – chicken. Donald is committed to optimizing his health because, in addition to HIV, he has dialysis three times each week for kidney function. Any advantage he can find through better nutrition improves his life.

Though he admits to missing the taste of Hot Pockets he doesn’t miss the high blood pressure that went along with his old eating habits. “Believe it or not, I sleep better too – no more pounding in my head.”

ACR Health’s Nutrition Education Program is open to people with HIV. For more information, call 315.475.2430 or email nutrition@ACRHealth.org.

WONDER WOMANWorks forACR Health If you get a call from a pleasant sounding woman who says she is with ACR Health – take the call! It could be Janelle Harris, an Outreach/Intake Specialist calling to tell you that you may be eligible for Care Management services from Health Homes. Your healthcare provider – with your consent – has referred you to us so we can find you a primary care doctor for healthcare needs to streamline your healthcare costs.

Janelle is very good at her job. She’s also very good at her other job at Crouse Hospital Care Coordination Department as a DSRIP Engagement Rep in the Emergency Department. She has worked at Crouse Hospital for 13 years. Her current position is assisting patients without primary care providers and follow up care for patients that have a primary provider. “Our goal is to reduce the emergency admissions for patients with Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care only.”

But wait. That’s not all! Janelle, after taking a two year break to make sure her youngest son graduated from

high school on time and helping him transition to college life, decided to go back and complete her Bachelor’s degree at Empire SUNY College in Community and Human services. Once she has completed this degree in May 2019, she will enroll in the MSW program in fall 2019. Her title will then be LMSW.

Janelle and husband David Harris have a blended family of five children and four grandchildren. Her youngest daughter just graduated from SUNY Canton. Her oldest son will graduate from Lemoyne

College next year alongside Janelle.

Janelle draws inspiration from her family. “My mother she is my biggest cheerleader! She encourages me when I mentally become weak, and she reminds me of why I do what I do every day. My two sons have been my biggest motivation from day one of becoming a young mother. They look at me as their hero, they always say to me that I make them want better for themselves because of everything that I have been through to provide for them. When I win we all win in my family!”

Two jobs, five children, college courses. How does she get all of this done? “I have no idea how I get all of this done!!! Lol. Put God first. Pray every day for strength and energy so I am able to get up and do it all again. 70 hours a

week can be overwhelming, but life is overwhelming!”

Good job, Janelle! Thank you for all you do for ACR Health clients.

Opening doors to create healthy communities

627 West Genesee StreetSyracuse, NY 13204

ACR Health offers its services to anyone withoutdiscrimination based on age, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, political affiliation, marital status, handicapped status, or mode of transmission.

ACR Health is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Supported by:

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDSyracuse, N.Y.Permit No. 241

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October 14, 2018 - Sunday19th Annual First Frost Walk1:00 p.m. Thompson Park Zoo and Conservatory,Watertown. Sign up as an individual or a team.

November 8, 2018Save the DateACR Health celebrates 35 years of opening doors tocreate healthy communities. 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. atKing & King Architects LLP, 358 West Jefferson Street, Syracuse. Ticket information at ACRHealth.org.

Motivate, empower, and deliver with our newfundraising website.

• Use social media to ask friends and family to donate• Track your progress• View event photos• Watch the power of your money impact the causes you care about

INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.GET INVOLVED TODAY!

ACRHealth.org

UPCOMING EVENTSResources throughout Central, Northern, and Mohawk Valley regions. For information call 800.475.2430 or email QCenter@ACRHealth.orgGroup times listed ACRHealth.org/youth

Q CENTERS FOR LGBTQ YOUTH

TESTING SERVICESHIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and Hepatitis C. Testing@ACRHealth.org

NARCAN TRAININGMonthly trainings at ACR Health offices. Appointments: Narcan@ACRHealth.org

HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMSHealth insurance enrollment and advocacy. Navigator@ACRHealth.org

SYRINGE EXCHANGES• Syracuse: 637 West Genesee Street and Outreach Van at corner of Dudley & Fitch Street• Utica: 287 Genesee Street• Watertown: 135 Franklin StreetSEP@ACRHealth.org

GET INVOLVED. JOIN THE TEAM.Current positions listed at ACRHealth.org/careers.

For more information on all programs or if you wishto unsubscribe from the newsletter:

information@ACRHealth.org or 800.475.2430

DRUG USER HEALTH HUBProvides onsite access to acute medical care, medication assisted therapy, and linkage to additional medical resources.

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