The
mission of Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT) is to
positively affect the quality of life for Asian and Pacific Islanders
living with or at-risk for HIV/AIDS by providing a continuum of
prevention, health and social services, community leadership and
advocacy to the Southern California region.
Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT)
is one of the nation's largest providers of HIV/AIDS prevention and
care services for the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Based
in Southern California, APAIT has been providing culturally and
linguistically appropriate services to API's since 1987. APAIT delivers
these services through a very dedicated, compassionate and talented
group of individuals.
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 Awareness and insight into the milieu
of stressors associated to decline in mental health has been widely
written about. It has been the very focus of characters that reflect
the complexity of the human condition. Shakespeare has depicted
disorganized schizophrenia in Hamlet, alluded to the
transitory effects of epilepsy in Othello, and well portrayed
suffering that is associated to obsessive compulsive disorder in
Macbeth.
We have hoped for these characters,
cheered when they have risen, and fallen with them in despair. In the
end, there has always been that instinctive question of "why?",
followed by a moment of insight. Proper insight into mental health
is important. It is appropriate to conclude that the methods we use
to correctly evaluate, understand, and treat mental health conditions
are a necessity. And inaccurate and irresponsible evaluation,
diagnosis, and treatment of a mental health condition is no laughing
matter.
It is the responsibility of the
psychologist to help disentangle problems and formulate a more
transparent picture of the causes and effects of an individual's
challenges.
APAIT has significantly expanded and
diversified its mental health program in order to continue the high
quality of services provided. This includes improving the methods
and breadth of psychological testing and assessment. The agency is
now providing cognitive testing in order to effectively assess any
concerns and problems associated to deficits in cognitive functioning
(e.g., short-term memory, memory encoding, visual memory, verbal
memory, delayed memory, sustained attention and concentration,
complex attention and concentration, and complex problem-solving
skills) in order to develop better insight into our clients'
challenges and strengths, and provide treatment that is clinically
appropriate as well as individually tailored. In this way, APAIT is
further committed to the continued growth of its programs towards a
multidisciplinary treatment approach of professionals and providers
who share a common goal: the improvement of our clients' quality
of life.
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APAIT presented the Quest Pageant on December 12, 2009.
Delegates represented some of the finest community-based
organizations helping transgenders today. Representation came
from the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, Bienestar, AIDS Project
LA's Red Circle Project, the Imperial Court, and Christopher Street
West-Los Angeles.
Karla Ferreira from the Imperial Court of Los Angeles &
Hollywood was named the winner. The event was hosted by
Transgender Advocates Ms. Alexis Rivera, of the Transgender Law
Center of San Francisco, and Mr. AJ King, Co-Chair of the Los Angeles
HIV Prevention Planning Committee.
Quest
also honored Mario Perez, Director of the Office of AIDS Programs and
Policy, and California Assembly Member Ted Lieu for their work in
helping the transgender community.
More
here: http://www.apaitonline.org
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On January 8th,
2010 Governor Schwarzenegger released his proposed budget plan that
addresses the current year's deficit totaling a gap of $20 billion
and proposed new solutions to bring California's budget back into
balance for fiscal year 2010-2011. One of the major concerns that
many AIDS organizations feared was losing the AIDS Drug Assistance
Program (ADAP).
California's ADAP
is known throughout the country as one of the most responsive
programs providing pharmaceutical prescriptions to People Living With
HIV/AIDS. ADAP provides free or low cost HIV medications to
Californians who are low income, uninsured, or lack sufficient
prescription drug coverage. California's ADAP formulary comprises
of approximately 200 medications. This formulary includes
medications for the treatment of depression, diabetes and anxiety, as
well as for the management of HIV infection.
ADAP currently
serves approximately 40,000 Californians with a gross income of less
than $50,000, who lack prescription drug coverage and are not
eligible for Medi-cal. A monthly copayment is required of
participants with gross incomes between $41,600 and $50,000. The
monthly co payment is based on the cost of the client's drugs and
annual state income tax liability. The program is humane, yields
superior health outcomes, and prevents health care and prescriptive
costs from being shifted to already over-burdened local
governments/health systems.
The good news,
based on the budget plan, is the funding for ADAP is significantly
better than expected. One of the changes from the Governor's
Budget for 2010-11 reflects a net increase in ADAP funding of
$48 million. This is the result of $97 million increase in the
General Fund related to increased caseload and increased cost of
prescription drugs, as well as an increase to backfill a projected
shortfall in the ADAP Rebate Fund.
Unfortunately, the
governor proposes to eliminate ADAP services in county jails county
jails due to the general fund reduction by $9.5 million. In fiscal
yr 2008-09, thirty six local jails participated in ADAP, servicing
1862 clients. In 2010-2011, it was projected that 36 jails with 2027
incarcerated individuals would have been served by ADAP. The
counties now are required to provide medical care to incarcerated
individuals.
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March with APAIT on February 20, from
12pm-5pm. We'll be meeting at the corner of Temple Street and
Hill in LA's Chinatown. [View in Google Maps]
For more information, call Peter at
213-553-1871.
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Website:
http://www.apaitonline.org
Main Email:
apait@apaitonline.org
Newsletter Email:
newsletter@apaitonline.org
Business Hours:
M-F 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
L.A. County Office
605 W. Olympic Blvd.
Suite 610
Los Angeles, CA 90015
tel: (213) 553-1830
fax: (213) 553-1833
Orange County Office
12900 Garden Grove Blvd.
Suite 214A
Garden Grove, CA 92843
tel: (714) 636-1349
fax: (714) 636-8828
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