Broward House was founded in 1988 by a few concerned citizens, lead by Susan Telli, with a desire to ensure those with HIV/AIDS received compassionate care. Initially Broward House developed a 52-bed home for individuals who were in need of housing and assisted living services. Companionship, support groups, and social interaction assisted residents in addressing stigma. The value of this grassroots beginning continues to drive the core of Broward House’s delivery of services as the agency has grown to meet the needs of individuals infected or affected by HIV living in Broward County.
Broward House’s mission is to improve lives in a loving, caring atmosphere while maintaining the highest level of fiscal responsibility. The agency serves a diverse population which mirrors the diversity of Broward County and those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS. The agency embraces a responsibility to be a leader in the community. This leadership is actualized through prevention, education, and service in order to reduce the number of individuals becoming infected by HIV, increasing the number of HIV+ individuals receiving care, supporting needed services, and reducing stigma in our community. While Broward House began its mission by providing housing, and it remains a core component of services, it is realized that individuals require an array of support services for true healing to occur. It is this philosophy that has lead to the expansion of services in prevention, education, case management, mental health, substance abuse treatment, transportation, and collaborative medical care, which are provided regardless of the individual’s financial status.
Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Centers CFAP Established in 1983 as the follow-up program of the state’s Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center system, the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) has grown to be one of the largest children’s agencies in south Florida, serving over 10,000 children and youth annually. The Center’s Comprehensive Family AIDS Program (CFAP) serves over 1500 families directly impacted by the HIV pandemic.
CDTC CFAP Services Include:
- 24/7 on-call for medical care, including pediatric adult and adolescent infectious disease clinics
- Laboratory tests, including confidential and anonymous HIV screening
- Access to clinical trials and research studies
- Support groups; client advocacy; education
- Summer camp program for HIV infected children
- Mental health assessment and follow up counseling services for children and youth
- Family Centered Case Management and Care Coordination
- Life enriching activities for Women, Children, and Youth
Metro Wellness & Community Centers is a multi-faceted agency in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties serving the HIV+ community via Medical Case Management, Eligibility, Minority AIDS Initiative, Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Prevention/Testing/Outreach services. We have funding from Ryan White Part A and B, Project AIDS Care, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and many other grants and awards. We also serve both counties via our Metro Centers which provide community resources, a Cyber Center, meeting space and safe haven for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities. Metro has a 15 year history of community service.
Pridelines based in Miami/Dade is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by gay youth for LGBTQ youth and their allies in the wake of Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign. Rooted in a peer-led/adult-facilitated youth group model, and with the help of Dr Marilyn Volker, Peter Meyer and other concerned adults, the group began meeting at Miami-Dade College in 1982. In 1996, under the leadership of group member Dale Ayres, the group incorporated. Dale became our first Executive Director, we moved into our own space, and formally changed our name to Pridelines Youth Services. Fundraising efforts increased, Health Department contracts soon followed and programs grew. Pridelines was one of the first community-based HIV testing sites in Miami-Dade County. For more than 28 years now, Pridelines has provided safe space, social support, skills building, leadership development and referrals to mental health, health care and support services for LGBTQ youth and their straight allies.
AIDS Help (AH) was formed in March 1986, as many of Key West’s most prominent and colorful citizens were
dying from a newly discovered disease, which we now call HIV/AIDS.Now in its 26th year of service, it is Florida’s oldest continuously operating AIDS service organization (ASO) and remains the only agency in Monroe County that serves individuals with HIV and AIDS.Monroe County has the highest prevalence of HIV for whites and Hispanics in the entire state of Florida, the state with the third highest number of AIDS cases nationally. (Monroe County has the second highest per capita rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the state; Miami-Dade County has a higher rate per 100,000 population). All of this is exacerbated by the party atmosphere that draws 3.5 million vacationers to Key West each year, many of whom engage in high-risk substance and sexual abuse risk behavior.Hence, AH provides case-managed health care, housing, food, counseling, referral and support services to assist in helping people live fuller, healthier lives…plus services not covered by other grants and resources, such as non-covered prescription medications, alternative therapies and a nutrition/fitness program.AH additionally provides HIV health education intervention, testing, referral, safe sex packet and condom distribution and outreach/referral services.
All told, AH has served over 2,700 clients in its history and currently provides support for some 335 individuals across the demographic spectrum, from Key Largo to Key West.
AH is the proud owner of 96 units of housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, the only ASO in the state to hold that distinction.
As a result of being SMART Rides only legacy agency having participated in every ride since 2003, AH has been able to complete additional units of housing, 50 units which opened on June 1, 2011 and continue to provide.
AH is grateful for the opportunity to take part over the past years, and look forward to helping make a difference in the lives of so many again
Miracle of Love Inc. is the oldest and largest non-profit minority AIDS Service Organization (ASO) in Central Florida. Miracle of Love’s founder Lowell D. Stafford began providing care services to multicultural communities in 1991 with the use of volunteers and his own SSI checks. The Organization was not incorporated until 1997 and in 1998 received it’s first federal grant award. The mission of the Organization is to provide comprehensive, multicultural HIV/AIDS care, education and prevention services that are effective and responsive to the Central Florida communities. Miracle of Love, Inc. services are designed to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and care services for people living with HIV/AIDS in order for them achieve positive medical outcomes by keeping them in care and treatment programs. With over 19 years of outstanding service, Miracle of Love continues serve as a repository for education, support and care, community advocacy, and referral services.
Compass Community Center aims to diminish stereotypes by challenging long-standing misconceptions about the character of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. We accomplish this by emboldening our youth, promoting pride in our community, and acting as an educator, advocate, health service provider, and focal point for community organizing. As good neighbors, effective partners, and respected participants in our civic responsibilities, Compass promotes awareness of the caring nature of our diverse community.With nearly three decades in #HIV/AIDS direct services, Compass has on-site HIV case management services to connect newly-diagnosed people to care, and continues its tradition as an expert in HIV prevention activities in partnership with the Florida State Department of Health.