Mosaic Initiative

	Know your Status

HOME

INITIATIVES

STATUS

SUPPORT

EVENTS

MOSAIC TILES

	“KNOW YOUR STATUS” is the foundation of our Education Advocacy Initiative. This simple appeal leads people to engage in a dialog that uncovers the real challenges to ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Here are some examples of what we have found: At a presentation of 12 nurses and healthcare officials, as a group they could not identify the four body fluids that transmit HIV/AIDS – essential information if these same providers are to effectively implement the new CDC guidelines. A large network of medical providers in the region was not aware of the new CDC guidelines until TMI staff met with them. Despite the fact that the DuPage County Health Department has been offering HIV-tests on a regular basis in West Chicago, neither the Police Department’s officers and social service workers nor adult support groups that meet on a weekly basis knew of this. These support groups reach some of the highest-risk groups in our region. A young college student emerged with “shocking” news that he was HIV-positive. He thought he was a virgin and did not think oral sex was considered sex and could transmit HIV (reinforcing the need for on-going education). A local agency that provides supports and services to refugees not only did not know the basics about HIV (despite that many of their clients are HIV+), they were not fully aware of Universal Precautions – the standard of care when it comes to airborne, bloodborne and other communicable diseases. By encouraging all people to know their status and commit to not spreading or getting HIV/AIDS, we are opening doors for conversation, understanding and action.

“KNOW YOUR STATUS” Initiative

For the past decade, government funding for effective marketing of HIV-prevention has been progressively focusing on highly-targeted, high-risk populations. The result has been an increase in the transmission rates of HIV in our country, and an increase in the number of newly-diagnosed people with HIV saying “I never thought I would get it”. During this time, Brad Ogilvie and Cathy Hetrick, the staff of The Mosaic Initiative (TMI), have been diligently working with the rest of the community – in secondary schools, on college campuses, in churches, and in the business community, to fill the enormous gaps.

In May, 2006, the federal government reversed course, with the Centers for Disease Control announcing new guidelines that encourage doctors to offer HIV-tests to ALL patients between ages 13 and 64, acknowledging that the effectiveness of previous policies have not achieved the hoped-for results. TMI supports this “broad net” approach to awareness, believing that it will alter the alienating stigma that surrounds HIV-testing. At the same time, we know that we must create a more compassionate and supportive environment – in our doctor’s offices and medical clinics, in schools, in social service agencies, and in all arenas where people may be receiving the news that they have HIV.

A major thrust of our effort is to promote the “KNOW YOUR STATUS” campaign throughout the community – including not only the areas previously mentioned, but through posters in restrooms, on coffee mugs, on buttons and pins, and on the print and internet dating and matchmaking services

National HIV Testing Day

Every June 27, is National HIV Testing Day; to mark the 2007 occasion, we made a commitment to move our “KNOW YOUR STATUS” and Education Initiative beyond workshops and marketing to going directly to people, asking them to get tested, and to do all that we can to provide access to testing and counseling. Our first two events were held on June 25, at Wheaton City Hall and then June 27, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wheaton...Read More

"To get an HIV-test, contact the DuPage County Health Department or your local health department. Or Click Here; for information on in-home test kits" and, for the "DuPage County Health Department";

| Contact Information 102 NORTH CROSS STREET #4B, WHEATON, IL 60187 630.665.5194