Safety Net @ Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective

ONE condoms. We gusta!

2011-11-30T09:39:00.000-05:00

So, here at Safety Net, we think hot safe sex can be fun and funny. Why not have a condom ice breaker? We like ONE brand condoms, because they're designed in a round wrapper (makes sense) and have funny, catchy, thoughtful images and slogans on their packaging. You can go to their website and vote on different designs, and part of their profits go to safer-sex-education programs.

My favorite's the "ONE will survive" condom on a disco ball! Or maybe the "hit ONE home." written on the base.

They're also available in different shapes and sizes and have different features. There's classic select (your standard condom), there's the "pleasure dome" which has more room at the tip to enhance sensation and pleasure. Then there's the "sensation" condom which has little "bumps" in the latex along the shaft for a fun new sensation. Check it out! You can submit your own designs too and become the Rembrandt of rubber! http://onecondoms.com/

Here's a great article on how to talk to partners about your status.

2011-11-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

To tell or not to tell? Whether you are HIV Negative, HIV positive, or don't know (PLEASE get tested if you don't!), talking to your partner about HIV status can be difficult. Here, inSPOT has some great tips and talking points, including ways to talk about it on different occasions:

HOW DO I SAY IT?

For many people, it's not easy to start the conversation. Some people rely on nonverbal ways to do it. Others assume that no mention of status at all is actually a way of disclosing. But most people say that the best way is to be direct.

There's not one phrase or expression that works in every situation. And, you'll have to decide for yourself what's the least awkward time and place to initiate the conversation - in the bar, in bed, online? Here are a few examples of what some people have said in different situations.

BEFORE SEX:

Before we jump in bed, I want you to know that I'm negative. Are you positive or negative?

ON-LINE:

Your bio says that you're positive; I'm negative. So, if we fuck we'll have to use condoms. Is that OK with you?

AFTER HITTING THE SCENE:

Earlier at the club you said that you didn't know anyone that has HIV. So it doesn't get too awkward later, I want you to know that I'm positive.

AFTER SEX:

It seemed like bringing up HIV when we were fooling around was going to ruin it. Since we didn't fuck, that was OK. I hope we can get together again and I wanted you to know that I just tested negative and haven't had risky sex with anyone since.

WITH SOMEONE YOU WANT TO DATE:

It always feels awkward bringing this up, but I see the potential of this
going somewhere and I want us to be up front and honest with each other about the kinds of sex we've had since the last time we got tested.

The full article is here: it's a great read!
http://www.inspot.org/STDInfo/TalkingHIV/tabid/106/language/en-US/Default.aspx

November's Safety Net Message

2011-11-04T16:19:00.000-04:00

November’s Safety Net message to share with your friends:

You’ve got passion in your pants and you ain’t afraid to show it…. Get your “Party Rock”s off this weekend…. Show ‘em you’re sexy and you know it… and use a condom! You’re too hot to be out of commission.

Get tested for HIV and STDs at HGLHC. Email info@hglhc.org for an appointment.

Once you've shared the above message on Facebook, by email, text, or Tweeted it, let me know by taking our survey and you will be entered to win a gift card for $20 to Dunkin Donuts!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6ZBPXTK

We're on Twitter, Too

2011-11-03T13:12:00.001-04:00

October's Safety Net Message

2011-10-31T10:46:00.000-04:00

Trick or treat! Be sure to check your candy this Halloween. ;) Get ur HIV&STD testing at HGLHC. More info at http://www.hglhc.org/ or 860-278-4163

September's Safety Net Message

2011-09-29T13:57:00.000-04:00

when you share this month's Safety Net message (below after the break), you'll feel good about reducing the stigma surrounding HIV and you can help remind your friends and facebook-family about safer sex!

***

Having unprotected sex, also known as barebacking or bareback sex, puts both sexual partners at risk for HIV & other STDs.

Use a condom correctly every time you have sex.

Get tested. Get Answers.
Call the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective: 860-278-4163

***

If we can help just ONE....

2011-08-15T16:05:00.002-04:00

wow, this video really says it all-- as a healthcare provider, this is why I do the work I do-- and why our Safety Net volunteers are so important. if we help ONE person learn their HIV status, it can impact entire communities. thanks for being a Safety Net volunteer. check out this video!

--Jamie

August's Message -- Please Share This!

2011-08-15T13:40:00.000-04:00

“You got his email. You got together. You got off. What else did you get? If you’re sexually active you owe it to yourself, and to your partners, to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. Call HGLHC at 860-278-4163 for more info & to get tested!”

Share this month's Safety Net message with your friends by posting it on Facebook or Twitter, by texting or emailing it to them, and let us know that you did. You'll be entered to win a drawing for a $20 gift card to WalMart!

Post this message for your friends or send it to them directly, ESPECIALLY men who have sex with men. You'll be setting a great example and encouraging them to make a healthy choice. :) Thanks for pitching in to help keep our community safe and vigilant in the fight against HIV!

Email jamieb@hglhc.org or fill out our survey here to let us know that you shared the message: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NQX9STH

Isn’t It Ironic? More Musings from Paul Kawata (from the National Minority AIDS Council)

2011-07-19T14:42:00.001-04:00

Here's a great article that discusses how HIV could potentially be ended worldwide and thoughts on how to do so:

http://www.nmac.org/index/news-app/story.618/title.isn-t-it-ironic-more-musings-from-paul-kawata

Isn’t It Ironic? More Musings from Paul Kawata

Wouldn't it be ironic if People with AIDS (PWAs) were the reason we stopped the epidemic?! After all of the blame, all of the discrimination, all of the judgment, there is something quite wonderful about the prospect of PWAs bringing an end to this devastating disease.

At the 6th International Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, you can feel the excitement as people talk about HIV Prevention Trial Network study 052 or Treatment As Prevention (TAP). At a panel this afternoon, a researcher called it the "light at the end of the tunnel."

TAP is about lowering a community's viral load to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. It's about getting PWAs to an undetectable viral load as a way to support their individual health and end this epidemic. It's not without challenges, but as one of the speakers said "we may be at the beginning of the end." However, it's going to take PWAs leading the way.

There is something so perfect about this solution. Not only could it stop the epidemic, but it would also benefit individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Researchers also say the solution isn't just for wealthy countries. Treatment As Prevention should be a global goal. With the recent United Nations' commitment to provide HIV treatment to 15 million people by 2015, we may be able to end this epidemic in my lifetime.

However, it's not time to throw away behavioral interventions. The HIV community and researchers mostly agree that it's going to take a combination of approaches. We need to implement structural interventions like TAP and continue with proven behavioral interventions. However, these behavioral interventions need to be scaled up to impact large numbers. We're not talking hundreds of people; these interventions need to impact thousands, if not millions of people.

If I sound ecstatic, I am. However, we are years, if not decades away from solving this epidemic. This solution will require PWAs to be on drug therapy for the rest of their lives or until we find a cure. We still have to figure out how we are going to pay for treatment for millions of people around the world.

In the U.S., we need to:

•Identify HIV positive Americans who do not know they are HIV positive;

•Upon diagnoses, link these individuals into care as quickly as possible; and

•Ultimately, get HIV positive Americans on drug therapy and keep them on it.

At the end of 2008, the CDC estimated there were 1,178,350 Americans living with HIV. Approximately 236,400 people in the U.S. do not know they are HIV positive. Unfortunately, the majority of people living with HIV are not on drug therapy. In fact, the number is somewhere between 250,000 to 350,000 Americans who are currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

Researchers postulate that there is a benefit for individuals who can bring their viral load to undetectable soon after being infected. It is the time that the virus can do the most damage to your immune system. This is also the time when people are the most infectious and can pass the virus to others. Getting to undetectable viral load early can minimize the damage to the individual and stop the spread of HIV. However, more studies will need to be done.

It's no longer just about the individual, it is also up to PWAs to save their communities. This is a huge shift in our work. Before, we were talking about empowering PWAs -- now we're asking them to save us. That's why they need to lead this effort.

Given the uncertainty of the effects of long-term drug therapy, we may be asking PWAs to put their health on the line. They have reason to be skeptical. But maybe, just maybe, the leadership of people facing the same risks, with the same concerns, displaying the same willingness to risk it all to save their communities, will alleviate some of that skepticism. At the same time, the HIV community must continue to push a research agenda to ensure the long term safety of these drugs, the development of new medications, as well as a viral load test that is rapid and affordable. We must also remain committed to finding a vaccine and a cure for HIV/AIDS.

So how are we going to pay for the drug therapy necessary to stop this epidemic? We can't even get the funds to cover the 8,689* Americans currently on AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists. From my perspective, we need to do the following:

1. Between now and 2014, ask the pharmaceutical industry to keep their patient assistance programs open for people who cannot get their drugs via private insurance, Medicaid or ADAP.

2. Enroll HIV positive Americans into PCIPs (Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans). Depending upon the state, we may be able to use Ryan White funds to pay for the premiums. This could be one of our bridges to 2014.

3. Monitor implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to ensure that the benefit package covers drug therapy for HIV positive individuals.

4. Upon full implementation of ACA, ask the pharmaceutical industry to cut the price of their drugs based on economies of scale. For TAP to work, we will need to triple, if not quadruple, the number of people on drug therapy.

We need to continue our pressure to get everyone covered under ADAP, especially if we are going to increase the number of people on drug therapy. It's a national shame that we have so many Americans on waiting lists. Maybe if policy makers were educated about the connection between treatment of HIV and the prevention of HIV, we might see more funding for this important program.

This is a big plan that requires big leadership. It should be led by People with AIDS, but also must include the government, the HIV community and the pharmaceutical industry. If HIV has taught me anything, I've learned that you have to be bold, you have to be strong, and you have to be willing to compromise. I see a roadmap to end this epidemic. You're damn right I am excited, you should be too.

Yours in the struggle,

Paul Kawata
Executive Director
National Minority AIDS Council

Things to know in July....

2011-07-14T15:10:00.000-04:00

Hope you're all having a happy, safe summer! Some things to update you on:

1) There's a strain of the bacterial STD infection gonorrhea that is becoming resistant to antibiotics, making it harder to treat. Using condoms will help keep you safer from HIV (for which there is NO cure) and STDs like gonorrhea.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/07/New-superbug-strain-of-gonorrhea-resistant-to-antibiotics/49317576/1

2) Many people don't know that HIV testing can be done with rapid tests that are ORAL swabs that use NO BLOOD OR NEEDLES! These tests are just as accurate as a rapid test with blood, plus they are pain-free! You can get results in just 20 minutes.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_18365285

3) July's Safety Net message to share with your friends is:

"Learn your HIV status in 20 minutes-- it's a test of strength. Get tested, get answers. Confidential HIV & STD testing at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective. Call (860) 278-4163 or email info@hglhc.org "

Once you've shared this, take our quick survey and you could win a gift card to Dunkin Donuts! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3J6X2P8

July's Safety Net message!

2011-07-13T09:52:00.001-04:00

Learn your HIV status in 20 minutes. It's a test of strength. Get tested, get answers. Confidential HIV & STD testing at your convenience: call HGLHC at (860) 278-4163 or email jamieb@hglhc.org

Share this month's Safety Net message with your friends by posting it on Facebook or Twitter, by texting or emailing it to them, and let us know that you did. You'll be entered to win a drawing for a $10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts so you can get your iced coffee fix on us!

Post this message for your friends or send it to them directly, ESPECIALLY men who have sex with men. You'll be setting a great example and encouraging them to make a healthy choice. :) Thanks for pitching in to help keep our community safe and vigilant in the fight against HIV!

Email jamieb@hglhc.org or fill out our survey here to let us know that you shared the message: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3J6X2P8

Pool Boys!

2011-07-13T09:36:00.000-04:00

Just some pool boys for your entertainment!

Today is National HIV Testing Day!

2011-06-27T11:09:00.000-04:00

TODAY is National HIV Testing Day! Get your FREE test at HGLHC or at other locations around the state. No needles, no blood, and your test results are ready in 20 minutes.

Call or email us to find out more! (860) 278-4163 or info@hglhc.org

June's Safety Net Message

2011-06-23T15:11:00.000-04:00

Summertime is here! June's Safety Net message to share with your friends via text message, email, Twitter, and Facebook is:

You got his attention. You got his number. You got laid. What else did you get? If you’re sexually active you owe it to yourself, and to your partners, to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. Call HGLHC at 860-278-4163 for more info & to get tested!

Once you've shared this message, take our quick survey to let us know how many of your friends got it! Click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SPWSHZ8

Answer a few quick questions and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a $10 gift card to VIP (Very Intimate Pleasures) at any location in CT! Thanks for all that you do!

Some updates...

2011-06-23T15:05:00.000-04:00

The CDC estimates that more than 56,000 Americans are infected with HIV every year. More then half of the new infections are among gay men and/or men who have sex with men (MSM) and half are African Americans. The CDC estimates that 235,400 Americans don't know they are HIV positive. Get tested! Call the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective at 860-278-4163 or email info@hglhc.org

Also, young people 13-24 years old account for 58.9% of all undiagnosed cases, versus 13.8% for people 45 to 54 years old. However, 45 to 54 year old Americans make up the largest number of HIV cases (385,400).

The CDC also estimated that 350,000 HIV infections were averted due to HIV prevention efforts in 2008. Research has shown that avoiding these infections saved over $125 billon in medical costs. That's why being a part of the Safety Net Team is so important to our communities-- you are helping to keep your friends healthy and safe from HIV.

May's Safety Net Message

2011-05-19T16:21:00.004-04:00

May's Safety Net Message to share with your friends:

Oral sex is safer sex-- oral sex is less risky than anal sex when it comes to HIV. Unprotected anal sex is responsible for almost all HIV transmission between men who have sex with men. If we all agree to use condoms, we could end this epidemic.

Once you've posted this to your Facebook wall or sent it to your friends via text message, email, or private FB message, take this SHORT survey. You could win the drawing for one $20 gift card to Tisane Tea and Coffee Bar for your efforts to help raise awareness about safer sex and HIV prevention in our community.

Survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3CR7XWG

So, what's up with this message?

Many guys say, "Honestly, I couldn’t imagine getting head with a rubber on. The same goes for giving head/oral sex. I mean, a little piece of latex between me and my dessert? Seems like it would defeat the whole purpose, but once again, I know better."

We all do.

As with anything, knowledge and common sense are power. If you choose to go raw when it comes to oral sex you really have to be smart, if not smarter, about it. Ask your partner questions about their last STD and HIV screening and ask to see their paperwork. If they can’t provide an answer or proof then you have to gauge whether or not you can really trust a big butt/cock and a smile. Just because someone looks clean doesn’t mean they are. You can't tell someone is HIV positive or if they have chlamydia simply by looking at them or lusting after them.

We tend to put a lot of trust into the people we share our bodies with, but sometimes it’s undeserved. Even married folks have seen themselves caught out there by a cheating spouse that brought something home with them that may or may not have a cure. Knowledge is power and all I ask is that you all use it because oral sex is still sex and I want you all to be safe.

When it comes to HIV, oral sex is safer sex than anal or vaginal intercourse. But other infections, like herpes, syphilis, and hepatitis B, can be passed by oral sex. Condoms or other barriers can also be used to make oral sex even safer. HGLHC has a variety of flavored condoms for free, and you can also shop online or go to your local erotic novelty store (VIP, etc) for a wide range of flavors, colors, scents, thicknesses, etc.Do you consider oral sex the “regular” sex? If so, do you always practice safe (oral) sex? Why or why not? Do you feel that dental dams and condoms “ruin” the intimacy of oral sex? After reading today’s discussion do you feel the same way? When do you have a discussion with your lover about their last STD test? Is that before or after you’ve been intimate? Do you find it “awkward” talking about your sexual history and test results when you’re just getting to know someone? When was your last STD test? Do you take one and demand your lover does before getting intimate? Will you change your oral sex habits moving forward?

Talk back, speak up and lemme know what you're thinking about this, because I hear about it a lot and you guys have the best answers and most insightful discussions. jamieb@hglhc.org or text/call me at (860).(268).three seven seven seven (3777).

Some content from http://thefreshxpress.com/2011/03/do-you-practice-safe-oral-sex-dying-for-head/

Another great resource: "How Safe is Your Oral Sex?" - http://www.gaylib.com/aids/aids22.htm

So, how smart is your dick? (slightly NSFW because of his buns!)

2011-04-20T11:07:00.001-04:00

Condoms: you have so many choices!

2011-04-07T16:55:00.000-04:00

A weird but informational video from the guys at The Guide To Getting It On about all the different types of condoms there are out there that can help make safer sex hot, quick and more pleasurable!

March's Safety Net Message

2011-03-25T14:00:00.001-04:00

Send out this month's message to your friends, take the quick survey to tell us you did it, and enter our drawing for a chance to win a $25 gift card to CVS this month!

You're not alone! Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective has many social and support groups so you can stay connected, happy & healthy. Go to http://www.hglhc.org/ for info. --Safety Net Team member

Once you've sent this by text, email, or posted it on your Twitter or Facebook account, take this survey to let us know how many people this reached and to enter our monthly drawing for a great prize.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Are you lonesome tonight?

2011-03-24T11:17:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! So my colleagues at HGLHC found a study that links HIV- risk behaviors with loneliness and a lack of social connectedness. Here are some excerpts:

“This article examines the Loneliness and Sexual Risk Model (LSRM) which postulates that loneliness is associated with sexual risk behavior and that this relationship is mediated by the influence of substance use and compulsive behavior. Therefore ,successfully addressing loneliness and its underlying causes likely to result in subsequent reductions in risk behaviors”.

“There is a growing body of research that focuses on sexual compulsivity and the use of the internet as a primary vehicle to act out sexually (Dew & Chaney, 2004). Because of the possible consequences of being exposed in public venues and the lack of alternative venues for socialization, the internet is an appealing method for some MSM to meet sexual partners (Brown, Maycock, & Burns, 2005). Internet use facilitates the process of identifying potential sex partners online and setting up sexual encounters among MSM, Model of Sexual Risk 69 which in turn have been associated with a rise of HIV infection in that population (Benotsch, Kalichman, & Cage, 2002). This is particularly true for those who feel a lack of social connectedness (Chaney & Dew, 2003).”

“An efficient and cost-effective way of incorporating social interaction and skill practice into therapy is to provide group interventions. Groups are a social microcosm that can provide individuals with the opportunity to practice social behaviors and interpersonal skills, as well as facilitate the generalization and application of the learned skills to real life in a safe environment.”

So, what do you guys think? We all get lonely, but there are some great alternatives so you can keep yourself surrounded with supportive people and make healthy choices for yourself. Have you checked out our social group for young gay and bisexual men, MPowerCT? Ever heard about our group for men called Living Soulfully, a group that supports the spiritual lives of gay/bi/questioning men?

You can even get out of your loneliness rut by texting or emailing or Facebooking the monthly Safety Net messages! Are you already on our Safety Net team? If not, email Jamie to get started (jamieb@hglhc.org).

The link to the article is here: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a773636800

Compulsivity, Substance Use, and Loneliness: The Loneliness and Sexual Risk Model (LSRM)
Authors: Hctor L. Torresa; Cheryl Gore-Feltonb

News in HIV Treatment Research

2011-03-09T14:00:00.001-05:00

From the March issue of the CT HIV/AIDS Planning Consortium News and Notes:

An HIV positive American living in Berlin has been cured from HIV. Reportedly, he has no detectable HIV in his blood after a stem cell transplant he underwent in 2007 to treat leukemia. The transplant was from a donor who carried a gene mutation that has a natural resistance to the virus.

It was by sheer coincidence that the “Berlin Patient” (as he has come to be known) was cured from HIV. The medical team deliberately chose a compatible donor who has a naturally occurring gene mutation that is resistant to the virus that causes AIDS. This type of mutation (known as CCR5delta32) is only found in between 1-3 percent of white poulations of European descendants. The people that have these wonderful genes have a natural protection to HIV.

Unfortunately, this treatment will not be able to help most people infected with HIV. Stem cell transplants are too dangerous and extreme to be used routinely, as many people die using stem cell transplants. The case of the “Berlin Patient”, however, paves a path for constructing a permanent cure for HIV through genetically-engineered stem cells.

I've heard this issue come up a few times at HIV counseling and testing sessions with our clients. While this is promising, it's a LONG ways away from a cure. The best we can do for now is to protect ourselves from HIV by choosing safer sex to prevent HIV infections and prevent the spread of this disease, to avoid contact with blood, and to avoid sharing needles with anyone else.

Stay safe!

--Jamie

New study says: Half of men may have HPV infections

2011-03-01T13:20:00.002-05:00

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Half of men in the general population may be infected with human papillomavirus or HPV, the human wart virus that causes cervical and other cancers, strengthening the case for vaccinating boys against HPV, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Yikes. Read the full story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110301/hl_nm/us_cancer_vaccine

Smart Phone Apps are Now Helping People Take Their Meds

2011-03-01T13:07:00.001-05:00

Pretty cool--- smart phone apps are helping people to remember to take their medications (including HIV meds).

The Importance of Medication Adherence to People Living with HIV/AIDS:

When you take a drug, it gets processed by your body and enters into your blood stream. The HIV drugs need to stay in your blood at certain levels to fight HIV. If the level falls too low, the drugs cannot work well.

When you take your pills on schedule, you keep the right level of the drug in your body. By not taking your medicines on schedule, you risk letting drug levels drop. This may allow HIV to make copies of itself and even make changes (mutations). These mutations can help the virus survive, even when you do take your HIV medication. This is called resistance.

When HIV becomes resistant to a drug you are taking, that drug will probably stop working. This may lead to an increase in your viral load and a decrease in your CD4 cell count. At that point, you will probably have to switch to another HIV drug.

Resistance to one drug can sometimes cause resistance to other drugs you have not taken. (This is called cross-resistance.) Resistance can affect your treatment choices in the future because fewer drugs will work well against your virus.

The best way to prevent resistance is to stick closely to your medication schedule. Some studies suggest that 95 percent adherence may be needed to get the most benefit from HIV treatment. That means missing very few doses.

[from the Well Project: http://www.thewellproject.org/en_US/Treatment_and_Trials/Things_to_Consider/Women_and_Adherence.jsp ]

What'd you get for Valentine's Day?

2011-02-22T16:15:00.002-05:00

Hi Safety Net Team!

Please send out the monthly Safety Net message to your friends-- especially men who love men-- and then let us know how many messages you sent by clicking on the survey link after the jump (it's short and sweet, I promise!).

What did you get for Valentine's Day? Hopefully nothing, but get an HIV & STD test to be sure! Get ur HIV test for FREE at HGLHC. Mention the code "SafetyNet" when you make an appointment. 860-278-4163 Get ur HIV test for FREE at HGLHC. Mention the code "SafetyNet" when you make an appointment. 860-278-4163 Now thru 3/14/2011 info@hglhg.org

Once you've shared this message, please take the quick survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/77886C3

Safety Net Message for December

2010-12-30T14:00:00.001-05:00

Have a healthy 2011: schedule your HIV test today at the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective. Email info@hglhc.org. Happy New Year!

--from your friends on the Safety Net Team

Please share this with everyone-- ESPECIALLY all the men who love men who are in your life-- friends, family, lovers, hookups, & strangers! post it on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace (uhh if you still use it).... send it to cuties on ManHunt and Grindr.... wish everyone a safe and happy new year!

And once you share it, do yourself a favor and take this quick survey to let me know that you shared this important health reminder. You will be entered into a drawing to WIN a $10 GIFT CARD to TISANE. Winner will be notified by 1/20/2011. The survey is here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZW8V337

Stay safe, play safe, lovies. And enjoy ringing in the new year. Oh, and make SURE you have a designated driver-- I don't wanna be bailing any of you out, but more importantly, I want you to take care of yourself and others coz you're beautiful and worth it.

-Jamie
Safety Net Team Captain

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2010-12-30T12:09:00.003-05:00

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010
Recommendations and Reports December 17, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. RR-12

Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
Subgroups of MSM are at high risk for HIV infection and other viral and bacterial STDs. The frequency of unsafe sexual practices and the reported rates of bacterial STDs and incident HIV infection declined substantially in MSM from the 1980s through the mid-1990s. However, since that time, increased rates of early syphilis (primary, secondary, or early latent), gonorrhea, and chlamydial infection and higher rates of unsafe sexual behaviors have been documented among MSM in the United States and virtually all industrialized countries (103,104). The effect of these behavioral changes on HIV transmission has not been ascertained, but preliminary data suggest that the incidence of HIV infection is increasing among MSM in some urban centers, particularly among MSM from racial and ethnic minority groups (105) and among those who use nonprescription drugs during sex, particularly methamphetamine and volatile nitrites (also known as “poppers”). These adverse trends likely reflect the 1) changing attitudes concerning HIV infection that have accompanied advances in HIV therapy, resulting in improved quality of life and survival for HIV-infected persons; 2) changing patterns of substance abuse; 3) demographic shifts in MSM populations; and 4) changes in sex partner networks resulting from new venues for partner acquisition (e.g., the internet). Increases in bacterial STDs are not necessarily accompanied by increases in HIV incidence; for example, oral sex may permit efficient spread of bacterial STDs but not HIV, as does serosorting (preferential selection of sex partners of the same serostatus) among HIV-infected MSM (106,107).

Clinicians should assess the STD-related risks for all male patients, including a routine inquiry about the sex of sex partners.

MSM, including those with HIV infection, should routinely undergo nonjudgmental STD/HIV risk assessment and client-centered prevention counseling to reduce the likelihood of acquiring or transmitting HIV or other STDs. Clinicians should be familiar with the local community resources available to assist MSM at high risk in facilitating behavioral change and to enable the conduct of partner notification activities. Clinicians also should routinely ask sexually active MSM about symptoms consistent with common STDs, including urethral discharge, dysuria, genital and perianal ulcers, regional lymphadenopathy, skin rash, and anorectal symptoms consistent with proctitis, including discharge and pain on defecation or during anal intercourse. Clinicians should perform appropriate diagnostic testing on all symptomatic patients.

Routine laboratory screening for common STDs is indicated for all sexually active MSM. The following screening tests should be performed at least annually for sexually active MSM:

• HIV serology, if HIV negative or not tested within the previous year;
• syphilis serology, with a confirmatory testing to establish whether persons with reactive serologies have incident untreated syphilis, have partially treated syphilis, or are manifesting a slow serologic response to appropriate prior therapy;
• a test for urethral infection with N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in men who have had insertive intercourse† during the preceding year; testing of the urine using nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is the preferred approach;
• a test for rectal infection§ with N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in men who have had receptive anal intercourse* during the preceding year (NAAT of a rectal swab is the preferred approach); and
• a test for pharyngeal infection§ with N. gonorrhoeae in men who have had receptive oral intercourse† during the preceding year (NAAT is the preferred approach). Testing for C. trachomatis pharyngeal infection is not recommended.

Evaluation for HSV-2 infection with type-specific serologic tests also can be considered if infection status is unknown; knowledge of HSV-2 serostatus might be helpful in identifying persons with previously undiagnosed genital tract infection.

Because of the increased incidence of anal cancer in HIV-infected MSM, screening for anal cytologic abnormalities can be considered; however, evidence is limited concerning the natural history of anal intraepithelial neoplasias, the reliability of screening methods, the safety and response to treatments, and the programmatic support needed for such a screening activity.

More frequent STD screening (i.e., at 3–6-month intervals) is indicated for MSM who have multiple or anonymous partners. In addition, MSM who have sex in conjunction with illicit drug use (particularly methamphetamine use) or whose sex partners participate in these activities should be screened more frequently. All MSM should be tested for HBsAg to detect HBV infection.

Prompt identification of chronic infection with HBV is essential to ensure necessary care and services to prevent transmission to others (108). HBsAg testing should be made available in STD treatment settings. In addition, screening among past or current drug users should include HCV and HBV testing.

Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is recommended for all MSM in whom previous infection or vaccination cannot be documented (2,3). Preimmunization serologic testing might be considered to reduce the cost of vaccinating MSM who are already immune to these infections, but this testing should not delay vaccination. Vaccinating persons who are immune to HAV or HBV infection because of previous infection or vaccination does not increase the risk for vaccine-related adverse events (see Hepatitis B, Prevaccination Antibody Screening). Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus infection can occur, especially among HIV-infected MSM. Serologic screening for hepatitis C infection is recommended at initial evaluation of newly diagnosed HIV-infected persons. HIV-infected MSM can also acquire HCV after initial screening; therefore, men with new and unexplained increases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) should be tested for acute HCV infection. To detect acute HCV infection among HIV-infected MSM with high-risk sexual behaviors or concomitant ulcerative STDs, routine HCV testing of HIV-infected MSM should be considered.

† Regardless of history of condom use during exposure.
§ Commercially available NAATS are not FDA cleared for these indications, but they can be used by laboratories that have met all regulatory requirements for an off-label procedure.

December's Safety Net Message

2010-12-22T17:42:00.000-05:00

December's Safety Net Message:

Giving gifts? Presentation counts-- "wrap it up" in style! Make the season bright with red and green condoms to keep you safe this holiday season.

The CARE Program and HIV Testing

2010-12-22T15:35:00.002-05:00

Donna Shubrooks, RN
STD Program Coordinator at HGLHC

STD QUESTIONS?

Ask Donna…

Why does the CT Health Department need to be notified if I test positive for HIV or an STD? Isn’t that just my own business?

--Seeking Privacy in the Big Picture

Dear Seeker,

Of course that is your private business, and that info is always treated with complete confidentiality. Each state health department is dedicated to serving the public, and that means YOU! Think of it this way…if the water in the reservoir was dangerously contaminated in YOUR town, YOU would EXPECT the Health Department to notify everyone to keep people safe. If YOU worked in a factory with dangerous toxic fumes or rode on an airplane beside someone with active TB, YOU would EXPECT the Health Department to warn YOU that safety precautions were needed, or testing and treatment was required for YOUR benefit. RIGHT? That level of care is expected and deserved by all residents in every state.

So… when a new case of a contagious disease or infection is detected (such as TB, Measles, Encephalitis, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia or HIV), people who may have been exposed deserve to be notified that they should be tested and treated. There is no judgment about “HOW” that infection may have been transmitted. This is where the CARE Program comes in. CARE Program counselors are specially trained to help people infected with HIV as well as their partners. The counselor will help tell your sex or needle-sharing partners that they may have been exposed to HIV. ALL INFORMATION DISCUSSED WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. The counselor will notify your partners at risk without revealing ANYTHING about YOU! They cannot say your name, age race, even your gender or when they may have been exposed. This program is there to help YOU, in a few different ways: 1. A CARE counselor can tell your partners FOR you.

2. A CARE counselor can be WITH you when YOU tell your partners.

3. If you want to tell your partners by yourself, the CARE counselor can

help you practice how to tell them. They can be sure you understand

the FACTS about HIV so you can answer any questions your partner

may have.

Why do your partners need to know? Remember, they DON’T need to know anything about YOU! But,

· they should know that they might have HIV and could choose to be tested.

· they can get early medical care if they have HIV.

· they can learn how to protect themselves and others from HIV

· they can get free testing and treatment for other STDs.

Don’t forget, we’re ALL in this together. We care about our community and want people to be safe. ANY consensual sex practices have consequences. We indeed ARE each responsible for our own sexual health, but wouldn’t YOU want to be told if you had been at risk and could be easily tested and treated?

THINK ABOUT IT! Have fun, but play safely. Know the rules and protect YOURSELF. That protects others too.

For more info about the CARE Program or how to get tested, call 860-509-7920 or the National AIDS Hotline 1-800-342-2437.

The Health Collective is here for you too.

Call us at 860-278-4163.

BE WELL. BE YOURSELF.

World AIDS Day Safety Net Message

2010-12-01T16:08:00.001-05:00

The Safety Net message for December 1, 2010 is:

"Today is World AIDS Day. Do you know your HIV status? Get tested & tell your friends to do the same. http://hglhc-safety-net.blogspot.com/ for info"

Once you've sent the message to your friends via text message, email, Facebook, Twitter, or other communications, please answer these few questions and you will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card to CVS!

Survey is here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2YR7TFD

Thanks for all that you do.

-Jamie
Safety Net Team Captain

LOLS!!

2010-12-01T13:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiIHQBlPKvE

Presidential Proclamation on World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T13:28:00.000-05:00

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 30, 2010

Presidential Proclamation--World AIDS Day

WORLD AIDS DAY, 2010
- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

On this World AIDS Day, as we approach the thirtieth year of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, we reflect on the many Americans and others around the globe lost to this devastating disease, and pledge our support to the 33 million people worldwide who live with HIV/AIDS. We also recommit to building on the great strides made in fighting HIV, to preventing the spread of the disease, to continuing our efforts to combat stigma and discrimination, and to finding a cure.

Today, we are experiencing a domestic HIV epidemic that demands our attention and leadership. My Administration has invigorated our response to HIV by releasing the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States. Its vision is an America in which new HIV infections are rare, and when they do occur, all persons regardless of age, gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic circumstance will have unfettered access to high quality, life extending care.

Signifying a renewed level of commitment and urgency, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States focuses on comprehensive, evidence based approaches to preventing HIV in high risk communities. It strengthens efforts to link and retain people living with HIV into care, and lays out new steps to ensure that the United States has the workforce necessary to serve Americans living with HIV. The Strategy also provides a path for reducing HIV related health disparities by adopting community level approaches to preventing and treating this disease, including addressing HIV related discrimination.

Along with this landmark Strategy, we have also made significant progress with the health reform law I signed this year, the Affordable Care Act. For far too long, Americans living with HIV and AIDS have endured great difficulties in obtaining adequate health insurance coverage and quality care. The Affordable Care Act prohibits insurance companies from using HIV status and other pre-existing conditions as a reason to deny health care coverage to children as of this year, and to all Americans beginning in 2014. To ensure that individuals living with HIV/AIDS can access the care they need, the Affordable Care Act ends lifetime limits and phases out annual limits on coverage. Starting in 2014, it forbids insurance companies from charging higher premiums because of HIV status, and introduces tax credits that will make coverage more affordable for all Americans. This landmark law also provides access to insurance coverage through the Pre Existing Condition Insurance Plan for the uninsured with chronic conditions.

Our Government has a role to play in reducing stigma, which is why my Administration eliminated the entry ban that previously barred individuals living with HIV/AIDS from entering the United States. As a result, the 2012 International AIDS Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., the first time this important meeting will be hosted by the United States in over two decades. For more information about our commitment to fighting this epidemic and the stigma surrounding it, I encourage all Americans to visit: www.AIDS.govhttp://aacyf.convio.net/site/R?i=JdfMtgDFWCFCKohEXd42nQ...

Tackling this disease requires a shared response that builds on the successes achieved to date. Globally, tens of millions of people have benefited from HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs supported by the American people. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria support anti retroviral treatments for millions around the world. My Administration has also made significant investments and increases in our efforts to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS at home and abroad by implementing a comprehensive package of proven prevention programs and improving the health of those in developing countries. Additionally, the Global Health Initiative integrates treatment and care with other interventions to provide a holistic approach to improving the health of people living with HIV/AIDS. Along with our global partners, we will continue to focus on saving lives through effective prevention activities, as well as other smart investments to maximize the impact of each dollar spent.

World AIDS Day serves as an important reminder that HIV/AIDS has not gone away. More than one million Americans currently live with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and more than 56,000 become infected each year. For too long, this epidemic has loomed over our Nation and our world, taking a devastating toll on some of the most vulnerable among us. On World AIDS Day, we mourn those we have lost and look to the promise of a brighter future and a world without HIV/AIDS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States do hereby proclaim December 1, 2010, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join in appropriate activities to remember the men, women, and children who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

Great article: "I Am HIV Positive and I Don’t Blame Anybody—Including Myself"

2010-12-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

by Kirk Grisham ShareThis

Friday, November 12 2010,

I am HIV positive, and I don’t blame anybody for it—not myself or anybody else.

He didn’t rape me and he did not trick me. It was through our unprotected sex that I became HIV positive. Since seroconverting, I have been very conscious of the language I use to discuss transmission, particularly my own. To say “he gave me HIV” obscures the truth, it was through a mutual act, consensual sex, that I became HIV positive. When speaking to him a couple months after my diagnosis I gathered that he knew he was positive when we had sex. But that is beside the point; my sexual health is mine to control, not his.

We are encouraged to think about prevention and transmission in terms of responsibility. Someone must be at fault. Culturally, we hunt for secret villains. Today’s “down low” black man is but the latest boogeyman at which we’ve pointed our fingers—the latest of the so-often racialized monsters at which we can direct HIV blame rather than have honest conversations about sex and relationships.

In recent weeks, another recurring villain has re-emerged: the HIV-positive criminal who callously infects others. Last month, long-standing accusations that baseball legend Roberto Alomar hid an alleged HIV infection from his wife and girlfriends returned to the news. This summer, German pop star Nadja Benaissa made international headlines as she was tried for failing to disclose her HIV status to sex partners. These stories rarely fail to steal the news spotlight, and often throw local communities into HIV panics.

There must be a reason they are so resonant, right? They are evidence that HIV transmission from knowingly positive persons is rampant, right? Wrong. The reality is that the vast majority of HIV infections occur between two consenting people who believe they are doing nothing more risky than making love—or, at least getting laid.

People who know their HIV status are actually more likely to use condoms than not. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports one snapshot study that found 95 percent of those living with HIV infection in 2006 did not transmit the virus to others that year. Another CDC study, released in September, found that while one in five “men who have sex with men”—public health jargon for gay and bisexual men—in 21 major cities has HIV, nearly half of those men (44 percent) don’t know it. The agency estimates that the majority of new infections each year result from sexual contact in which the positive person does not know he or she has HIV.

HIV disproportionately affects African Americans, regardless of sexuality. They account for half of the people living with HIV/AIDS, but just 13 percent of the overall U.S. population. Studies also suggest African Americans are least likely to know their HIV status, with the younger being less aware. Similar patterns exist among men who have sex with men, of all races. No talking and no testing, just finger pointing.

The communication problems that help drive these trends don’t stop with finding monsters to blame. People I love and talk to about my status do not always have the language or tools to express their grief and worry. They ask things like, “How could you be so irresponsible?” Or, “How could you fuck up like this?”

This language hurts, but more importantly it shifts the discussion from meaningful conversation about risk and vulnerability to simplistic directives: if only people used condoms, transmission would cease. But this idea relies on a complicated array of misconceptions and idealistic assumptions of equality, equal access to information, and how to use that information to stay HIV negative.

It is irresponsible to just tell people to use condoms without acknowledging that conditions like poverty, patriarchy and homophobia play roles in the so-called risks we all take. Even with people who have seemingly escaped these broader contexts—say, a working-middle class white man such as myself—stigma can prevail. Stigma that is produced by homophobia and general ignorance, yes, but also by American society’s desperate need to discipline and punish, to affix blame on individuals rather than confront the systems in which individuals live. So the AIDS epidemic becomes a challenge of personal responsibility rather than a damning indictment of global public health. That personal responsibility, however, is tricky: I bore no responsibility for the epidemic, until I had HIV, when it became entirely my problem.

When I used to get tested at the city clinic, they would tell me that people stay negative by disclosing their negative status. Having a conversation is paramount—negotiating whether and how you want to use protection, talking about the last time you were tested and asking the same of your partner. This dialogue cannot be taken for granted, but for many, before these conversations can happen, we need the tools to do so. So here, we lead by example. Three people of varying HIV status offer their own testimonies on how they think about their sexual health, and what it means.

Benee Williams
Age: 28; HIV negative

I can’t always say that I have cared much for my sexual health. I listened to the teachers speak about individual health but none of it seemed to do its purpose. I’m not so sure if I understood the power of owning my sexuality or knowing how to protect my physical and mental health. As I got older, I really started to look outside of what I deemed “me in between the sheets.” I started to think about my sexual health as more than just physical. I declared I own this body; I must respect it. When I do or do not have sex it is my decision, and I must be active in that decision, not passive. I appreciate sex. Through this process I have learned that communication about health awareness with my partners has improved over the years as well. Sex is one of the most natural things we can do as humans.

Catherine Mercedes Brillantes Judge
Age: 24; HIV negative

As a survivor of domestic violence and the many forms of abuse that it carries, I know being in control of your sexual health is critical for feeling empowered and safe. It took me years until I finally felt that I was in control of my sexual health and decisions. When I made the choice to be celibate (for a specific time period), it was the first time I felt in control of my body. It was liberating for me since I was often forced into sex throughout my adolescence. After not having the ability to say “no” for such a long time, I know the importance of making that decision. There are structural reasons why women feel that they are not able to say no, and we need to work to change that. As a young feminist of color, I believe it takes much more than reproductive health care and education for us to feel in control of our sexuality—it takes personal empowerment too. That to love and respect yourself means not only resisting coercion, but being comfortable enough to say yes when you want to have sex too.

Brandon
Age: 31; HIV Positive

My relationship to HIV has been woefully simple and dramatically complex (with emphasis on the drama). When I tested positive, I knew it was not a death sentence. It was post 1996. I’d worked in prevention. I knew I was going to live. The problem became living and remaining a sexual being. As a youth organizer, I had been taught to integrate positive sexuality into youth work. I was taught, and believe, that sex is a natural part of our human experience and that we should teach and support each other in our explorations of sex and the ways in can enhance or relationships, friendships, and lives.With HIV I almost lost that…others tried to take it away from me. Now I talk about it raw and uncut. I talk about the challenges but also reclaim space in the sexual community and use my own experiences, the good, the bad, and the multi-orgasmic to demand permanent space for all those living with HIV. To all the poz people in the world, I say, with love: fuck on.

World AIDS Day: Moving Toward an HIV-Free Generation

2010-12-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, MD, Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research coauthored an article with Kate Goertzen and Yuri Hanada on "World AIDS Day: Moving Towards an HIV Free Generation" published on today's Huffington Post. Full text below:

World AIDS Day: Moving Toward an HIV-Free Generation

Susan Blumenthal, M.D.
Public Health Editor at HuffPost and Former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General
Co-authored by Kate Goertzen and Yuri Hanada

On this World AIDS Day, achieving an HIV-free generation must be a top priority. In many areas of the world, including the United States, youth bear the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In 2009, 370,000 children who became HIV-positive globally were infected by mother to child transmission (MTCT). That's 1,000 children every day. Provision of anti-retroviral medications (ARVs) to pregnant women living with HIV could prevent most of these infections, but only 53 percent of pregnant women who are HIV positive receive these drugs in low and middle income countries. In contrast, thanks to public health education and access to lifesaving ARV medications, MTCT has been virtually eliminated in the United States, and most babies are now born HIV-free. This makes the current HIV infection rate for this generation of young people in America all the more alarming: As many as 250,000 youth are living with HIV in America today. Furthermore, in 2006, more HIV infections occurred among people ages 13-29 in the United States than any other age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite considerable progress in the scientific understanding of HIV as well as the eradication of MTCT in America, the incidence and prevalence of, and misconceptions about, HIV among our youngest generation suggest that we have much work to do to effectively alter the course of the epidemic among youth.

America's youth are coming of age at a time when AIDS is considered to be a treatable disease. Unlike young people in the early days of the epidemic in the U.S., most young people today have not witnessed the deaths of peers from this illness. Complacency surrounding HIV/AIDS in America has led to a kind of AIDS amnesia, particularly among youth. The results: large numbers of young people who are unaware of their risk for infection, who have never been tested, and who take unnecessary risks with their health.

In the U.S., statistics concerning HIV/AIDS among young people are particularly startling for the most vulnerable groups. Young men who have sex with men (MSM), ages 13-24, accounted for 84 percent of HIV/AIDS cases from 2004-2007. Yet, a 2005 survey of young MSM in seven major cities revealed that only 23 percent of those who had tested positive were already aware they were infected. In 2007, African Americans, another vulnerable group, represented 17 percent of adolescents ages 13-19 in the U.S., but accounted for 72 percent of HIV/AIDS cases in this age group. Young women, intravenous drug users, and youth whose parents are living with HIV/AIDS are also at increased risk.

Scientists have found that the dynamic developmental phase of adolescence itself contributes to vulnerability as a result of significant physiological changes, including those of the reproductive anatomy, which increase susceptibility to HIV infection. Additionally, youth mount robust immunological responses that may surpass those of adults, and it is unclear exactly when the switch from the biological mechanisms of child to adult drug metabolism occurs. These factors can potentially affect the safety and dosing requirements in vaccine and other biomedical prevention technology trials and yet prevention and treatment recommendations for young people are often extrapolated from the results of adult-only studies. For example, the recent finding that anti-retroviral (ARV) medication taken as a prophylactic "prevention pill" (PrEP) can reduce transmission by 43.8 percent and when taken as prescribed by as much as 90 percent is game changing; the median age in this study of MSM was 25, underscoring why youth must be included in future clinical trials.

There are additional considerations that place young people at high risk. While adolescence marks a period of exploration that may translate to episodic and risky sex, young people may not have the interpersonal skills necessary to negotiate safe behaviors that can protect them from HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancies. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth may face stigmatizing and isolating environments that affect their psychological and sexual health, as those who are unable or unwilling to disclose their sexual orientation may withdraw from critical sources of social support and prevention services.

Furthermore, structural factors such as homelessness, transportation, and state laws regarding the confidentiality of minors' health information impede young people's access to youth-friendly services and health information. Approximately one-third of all junior and senior high schools have no on-site health services. Meanwhile, half of sexually active youth will have contracted an STI by age 25, increasing their risk for HIV, but approximately two-thirds of 15-17-year-olds and half of 18-24-year-olds have never been tested for an STI. This is why comprehensive, evidence-based, and age-appropriate sex education is needed in schools today.

The HIV/AIDS burden on youth underscores the urgent call for an enhanced focus on their unique needs. The Obama Administration's first-ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), announced in July, identifies the importance of addressing the growing HIV epidemic among young people. NHAS presents a prime opportunity to prioritize and target vulnerable youth with appropriate prevention and service-delivery programs while expanding efforts to reach all young people with vital HIV/AIDS information.

Every hour, two young people in the U.S. become infected with HIV; of those who do become infected, approximately 80 percent do not know that they are HIV-positive. Altering this trajectory will require a comprehensive, multifaceted approach -- one that invests in research and mobilizes all sectors of society to design and implement prevention and treatment programs that specifically address youth issues. This is the roadmap to attain an HIV-free generation in the United States. For our nation's future, we must act now.

Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. (ret.) is the Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. She is also a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts University Schools of Medicine and Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center. Dr. Blumenthal served for more than 20 years in senior health leadership positions in the Federal government in the Administrations of four U.S. Presidents, including as Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women's Health, as a White House Advisor on Health, and as Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch at the National Institutes of Health. She is the Public Health Editor of the Huffington Post. Admiral Blumenthal has received numerous awards including honorary doctorates and has been decorated with the highest medals of the US Public Health Service for her pioneering leadership and significant contributions to advancing health in the United States and worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2009 Health Leader of the Year Award from the Commissioned Officers Association and was recently named a 2010 Rock Star of Science.

Kate Goertzen serves as a Research and Policy Assistant at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.
Yuri Hanada is an Alan Rosenfield Health Policy Fellow at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Today is World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007, and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007,making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children.

Take this quiz to find out if you've been at risk for HIV and to read a great resource from a UK-based HIV prevention website:

http://www.worldaidsday.org/Facts-and-Stats/Have-you-put-yourself-at-risk.aspx

Infographic I saw on Reddit - click image to see full size

2010-11-29T11:26:00.005-05:00

Halloween Message

2010-11-01T13:47:00.002-04:00

Did you share the October Halloween message with your friends? If so, answer a few quick questions and you could win $20 to Tisane!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YL9CR2B

It's easy and it'll help us figure out how many people we are reaching with the Safety Net project.

Thanks!
--jamie

Happy Halloween! October's Safety Net Message

2010-10-27T17:14:00.000-04:00

BOO! Don't be scared to talk about safer sex before you hook up at those Halloween parties. Whatever costume you wear, always accessorize it with a condom! -- From your friends on the Safety Net Team

and hey, you can be the coolest one at the party & send the right message with the condom costume! (Dang, I wish I thought of this first, but I decided to go with a nurse. I work at the Health Collective, I thought it was fitting!)

want $25 to spend @ VIP?

2010-09-27T15:32:00.000-04:00

are YOU missing out on a $25 gift card to VIP [Very Intimate Pleasures] ? If you shared the September Safety Net message ("stay safe, play safe") on Facebook/Twitter or by email/text message, answer a few quick questions here and you will be entered to win this month's drawing for the Safety Net project!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WK5LTTN

44 pct of gay, bisexual men with HIV don't know it

2010-09-24T10:34:00.000-04:00

ATLANTA – One in five sexually active gay and bisexual men has the AIDS virus, and nearly half of those don't know they are infected, a federal study of 21 U.S. cities shows.

Experts said the findings are similar to earlier research, but the study released Thursday is the largest to look at gay and bisexual U.S. men at high risk for HIV. More than 8,000 men were tested and interviewed, and 44 percent of those who had the virus didn't know they had it.

Overall, less than half of 1 percent of Americans have the AIDS virus, according to a calculation by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a research and policy organization in Washington, D.C.

But gay and bisexual men continue to be infected at much higher rates, said Jennifer Kates, Kaiser's director of global health and HIV policy.

"We don't have a generalized epidemic in the United States. We have a concentrated epidemic among certain populations," she said.
That's why a new national AIDS strategy, unveiled by the White House in July, is emphasizing more of a government focus on men who have sex with men and others at the highest risk of getting infected, Kates said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends HIV testing at least once a year for all men who have sex with men and are sexually active, but research indicates more than half don't get tested.

An earlier study in just five cities in 2004-05 found similar results.

The new study, conducted in 2008, included 16 additional cities. Researchers offered free testing to the men, interviewed them and paid around $25 for their participation.

Black men were more likely to have HIV, with 28 percent reportedly infected, compared to 18 percent of Hispanic men and 16 percent of white men.

Black men were also least likely to know they were infected — about 60 percent didn't know they had HIV — compared 46 percent of Hispanic men and 26 percent of whites.

___

Online:
CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

September's Safety Net Message

2010-09-21T15:44:00.000-04:00

Stay safe, play safe! Condoms can prevent HIV if used correctly, every time. Get a sampler pack with many varieties at HGLHC!

"Stay safe, play safe! Condoms can prevent HIV if used correctly, every time. Get a sampler pack with many varieties at HGLHC! -- from your friends @ Safety Net"

Once you've sent it out, don't forget to answer 5 questions here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WK5LTTN

You could win $25 to VIP!

Thank you for all that you do for the community.
-Jamie

Respect Yourself-- Protect Yourself!

2010-09-21T15:23:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/italkbecause

Just for Fun!

2010-09-08T13:12:00.000-04:00

My mom bought this for me. I guess she understands my sense of humor!

It's CLOBBERIN' HIV TIME!

August's Safety Net Message

2010-08-31T13:54:00.001-04:00

Every 9 1/2 minutes, someone in the US is infected with HIV. Know your status, get tested this month!

Didja share this? Answer 5 questions and you could win a $25 gift card to VIP! Oooh la la! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C25BMHR

Where did the estimate that every 9½ minutes someone in the United States gets HIV come from?

--In 2008, CDC developed new estimates for the annual number of HIV infections—which suggest that about 56,300 new HIV infections occur each year. This estimate is a national average. CDC arrived at the 9½ minutes figure by dividing the number of minutes in one year by the 56,300 new HIV infections that were estimated for 2006. This result indicates that, on average, one new HIV infection occurs every 9.34 minutes in a year. For more information on the 56,300 estimate visit the HIV Incidence section of the CDC HIV Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/incidence.htm

HIV Infections and the Law

2010-08-11T14:13:00.002-04:00

Shared from our friend Josh:

Regarding the discussion on non-disclosure of HIV+ status. This is a case from Australia.

Most prosecutions for infections have been in the US and Canada, a trend that drew condemnations in Vienna 2010, but this is an increasing trend. Prosecutions have involved both hetero and MSM.

All of these cases so far involve people intentionally lying about their + status, or tampering with condoms to reduce their effectiveness and increase risk of transmission.

The concerns that have been raised include scaring people from getting tested (ie. if you know you're + and infect someone, you could go to prison). Another issue though is that a court could rule that all unsafe sex carries strict liability. In other words, not knowing your status is not enough of a defense.

In other words, the + partner is responsible for ANY infection resulting from unsafe sex if he knew or "ought to have known" there was a risk of transmission. Just as individuals do not have the right to consent to be stabbed or seriously injured, a court could rule that the right to private, consensual sex (ie. Lawrence v. Texas 2003) does not extend to transmission of a dangerous pathogen.

Taken to its logical conclusion, I fear that these well-intentioned measures aimed at a few reckless, or even callous individuals, could be used by a right-winger on the bench to all but re-criminalize gay sex, or sex between / with HIV+ individuals.

In the end, it proves that each individual must rely on themselves for protection. While trust is great, latex is better.

--Josh

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/man-with-hiv-exposed-others-court-told-20100805-11jv2.html

Safety Net Team Luau @ Tommy's!

2010-07-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen a bear in a grass skirt? Come on down to Tommy's Restaurant on Wednesday, July 28th around suppertime to check out the Hawaiian Luau party brought to you by HGLHC's Safety Net project!

Congratulations to this month's Safety Net team member "T," who won a $25 gift card to CVS for sending out the previous Safety Net message and for completing the quick survey!

Wanna get in on the fun and help keep our community safe from HIV? Be a part of the team! Txt "SAFETY NET" to Jamie at 860-268-3777. We'll send you a quick message once a month that you can forward on to your friends to remind them about HIV testing and bring you news about HIV in CT. Fill out a quick survey once per month and you can win cool prizes and gift cards!

See you at Tommy's!

<3 -- Jamie

Ka-BOOM!

2010-07-06T11:04:00.001-04:00

Hey, y’all! Here’s the Safety Net message to send out as soon as you can:

Did you see fireworks this weekend? Don’t forget your HIV test, firecracker! ;) from the Safety Net Team

Once you’ve sent the message to your friends (especially to men who love men), take our quick survey here for your chance to win a $25 gift card to CVS this month!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YKDPQWQ

Thanks team! Xoxox,

-Jamie

Last Ones Out of the Closet?

2010-06-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

According to CNN, it's bisexual men. What do y'all think?

"I think a lot of bi people are afraid to come out because there is pressure on both sides."
--Joshua Verbeke, 29-year-old bisexual

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/06/28/bisexual.male.last.closet/index.html

May's Safety Net Message

2010-05-25T13:32:00.000-04:00

What did the penis say to the condom?.... “Cover me, I’m going in!”

check out our FREE XL condoms @ HGLHC . Get some! 860-278-4163 or info@hglhc.org

----

Send this message out to your friends via text message, email, Facebook, or Twitter and fill out this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CSBZY5T

You will then be entered into a drawing for a $10 DunkinDonuts gift card!

April's Safety Net Winner!!

2010-05-03T16:13:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to our own BRYAN D (the really cute photo at left), the Safety Net volunteer who won this month's giveaway!! BRYAN is a Safety Net volunteer who completed the monthly survey to report his involvement with the project (basically, to report the # of txt, email, or FB messages sent/if he posted it as a FB status message) and won this month's drawing for a $10 GIFT CARD TO TISANE, a really cool coffee/tea house and bar serving delish Euro-Asian food (their gay night = Tuesday night, and queer women's night is the 1st Sunday of each month, FYI), and a SEXY GIFT BASKET!! Gooooo BRYAN!!

Volunteers, make sure you take ONE MINUTE to complete each month's short sur...vey that asks how many messages you sent to your friends (or even if you posted it on FB!) and you could be entered to win a great giftcard. Even if you don't want the giftcard (you selfless individual!), we still really need the numbers to analyze how the project is doing!!

Sorry, B, couldn't resist putting this cute topless photo of you up on the Safety Net blog.... what can I say, bbs, you're too cute! This was taken at an MPowerCT fun BBQ and Karaoke event, btw....

Stay tuned for May's message, coming up soon! Thanks to all of our volunteers! and if you're interested in becoming a Safety Net volunteeer, then just drop me a quick line-- even just "safety net"-- via email or txt! email: jamieb@hglhc.org or txt or call me at 860-268-3777

Thanks, y'all. You're amazing. <3

-Jamie B, Safety Net Team

Love your Latex: Condoms 101

2010-04-22T16:21:00.002-04:00

Condom Care & Storage:

Always…

Always get your condoms from a trusted location, where the temperature is controlled and condoms are displayed away from windows and direct sunlight. HGLHC cares for our condoms and stores them in temperature controlled conditions away from sunlight.
Always store condoms at room temperature (55° - 80° F) and in a dry place. This means you should avoid leaving them in your car for too long (where it can get too hot or too cold).
Always check the date to make sure the condom has not expired and make sure there aren't any tears or holes in the package
Always wash hands before handling a condom if you've been handling oil-based products like massage oil, baby oil, some lotions, vegetable oil, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), Crisco, etc. Why? Oils can break down the latex. That's why you should use water-based lubes like we give out @ HGLHC.
Always throw used condoms away in the garbage wrapped in tissue.

Never…

Never leave condoms in direct sunlight or store them for prolonged periods at temperatures above 100° F or below freezing. Never leave condoms in your glove compartment or your wallet.
Never reuse a condom!
Never throw used condoms away in the toilet. You'll have a lot of explaining to do to your plumber.

Using a Male Condom....

The best way to prevent a condom from breaking starts before you ever open the package. Follow these simple tips to help ensure you are being protected!

--- Remember, if you have never used a condom before, practice first! Put it on by yourself if you're a male(ladies, use a vibrator or banana) to make sure you know the drill before you are in the heat of the moment.

Before foreplay…

-- Check the expiration date. Never use a condom that is expired. Expiration dates are found on the packaging and also on the wrapper of each individual condom.
-- Make sure the condom wrapper has not been opened. If it looks extremely flat and smashed, don't use it.
-- If you feel good about the condom you chose, leave it un-opened in a handy, easy-to-reach location, like on the night stand near the bed... under the living room couch... in the kitchen cabinet... wherever you might get it on!

When to put it on…

-- Put the condom on at the time the penis is erect (hard) before it comes in contact with other skin. This will reduce your risk of spreading disease and will keep pre-cum away from your partner's body.
-- Use the condom during oral sex. You can still spread/contract sexually transmitted diseases and infections through your mouth! Try mint-flavored ones... freshen your breath while you're at it ;)

How to put it on…

-- Carefully open the condom wrapper. Start to tear the edge that has a zig-zag cut. Make sure you are only tearing the wrapper and NOT the condom! Never use your teeth, scissors, etc. to open a condom.
-- Pull the condom out check which side is up. Place your thumbs in the center of the condom and try to unroll it. If you can't, flip it over and try again. You want the rolled edge to be facing out. It should look kinda like a sombrero, like this:

-- PINCH THE TIP OF THE CONDOM so that you are pinching around an inch of latex and then (while you're still pinching the tip!!) put the condom on the penis. This is important-- you don't want any air in the condom because that could cause it to break when the guy ejaculates ("comes"). Put it on, while you are pinching the tip, and unroll it all the way to the base of the penis.
-- Use extra lubricant. Add water-based or silicone-based lube to the outside of the condom after it is already on. This helps to reduce friction and takes more stress off the condom. Don't apply lube to the shaft of the penis before the condom is on! This could cause the condom the slip off. However, a small amount of lube on the tip of the penis before the condom goes on is great for sensation and extra sensitivity.... so, a little lube is alright, but not down the whole penis, please!
-- Never use an oil product with condoms, including Crisco (ick!), Vaseline, hand lotions, or massage oils.

During and after…

-- If it slips off while you're getting off, get a new condom. If it breaks, get a new one. If you are ready for round #2, get a new one. Never re-use a condom or try to put it on after it has been unrolled.
-- When pulling out, hold the base of the condom to make sure it stays in place.
-- Take it off by grasping the opening of the condom at the base of the penis and slowly sliding it off. Wrap the used condom in a tissue and throw it in the garbage. Never flush a condom down the toilet.

Have fun, y'all!

-- Jamie B
Safety Net team member--

So many condoms, so little time!

2010-04-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

The really cool Safe Sex Store has the scoop on all the different condom varieties to help you choose the right kind. Mix it up - try something new!

http://info.s3safesexstore.com/index2.asp?category=78E529A0625F4AE084C913605B0CA4B5

April's Safety Net Message :)

2010-04-19T23:58:00.001-04:00

Hey Safety Net team & volunteers,

Please send out by text or email the following Safety Net message, especially to any men who love men that you know.... and don't forget to fill out the survey after you send it!

Survey is here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JRPGJYK

Message is as follows:

------------------------

APRIL'S SAFETY NET MESSAGE: **** TXT 4 UR TEST! Know your HIV status? Text YOUR ZIP CODE to KnowIt (or 566948) for ur nearest test center. OMG. GYT! ****

DID YOU KNOW....1 in 2 people who have sex will get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by the age of 25, and most won’t know it. If you’re sexually active, the only ...way to know is... to GYT (Get Yourself Talking and Tested).

OMG. GYT! http://www.hivtest.org/

Find your nearest HIV and STD testing site online. Or call 860-278-4163 to set up your testing appointment.

You can even confidentially TEXT MESSAGE the Safety Net team leader, Jamie B, to set up an HIV and/or STD test at the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective (HGLHC). Just text "HIV TEST" to 860-268-3777.

Be Well. Be Yourself.
--your friends on the Safety Net team

http://hglhc-safety-net.blogspot.com/

-------------------------------

Once you've sent the message, please fill out this 30 second survey and you can WIN a fabulous gift card to TISANE!!!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JRPGJYK

Enjoy their yummy menu items or have a delicious beverage of your choice at one of the coolest gay-friendly joints in Hartford. You can win this, all because you're doing great work and helping to keep our community safer by preventing HIV & STDs.

big lovies,
-jamie (the gal in the polka dot boots)

How to use a condom... now with pictures ;)

2010-04-19T12:35:00.002-04:00

If this is too tiny for you (heh heh heh), click on the image to expand it

The above is borrowed from a sexual health clinic in Ontario, and below is more info from them... I love the little (safer) sex squad cartoon characters, especially the one that looks like STRONG BAD!

http://www.healthunit.com/sectionList.aspx?sectionID=378

http://www.healthunit.com/sectionList.aspx?sectionID=378

Safety Net winner for March 2010

2010-04-19T11:09:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Wendi C., the winner of the drawing for the Safety Net volunteer prize for March 2010!
She is the Executive Director of New Freedom Recovery Housing, a residence for men and women who are new to recovery, just coming back, or who just need a safe, clean and sober living environment on their journey in recovery from substance abuse.

Wendi has been a wonderful Safety Net volunteer since November 2009, recruiting others to help join our cause to send safer sex and HIV prevention messages to their friends. She won a $25 gift card to V.I.P. (Very Intimate Pleasures) for her participation in March.... way to go, Wendi!

Wendi C, Safety Net volunteer

I Will Survive! (If I use this sexay condom....teeehee)

2010-04-19T09:54:00.001-04:00

A disco-ball-shaped condom I picked up at the Planned Parenthood table at the Transgender Lives Conference on Saturday, 4/17.

NOW I see what "Lady GayGay" means when she says she "wants to take a ride on your disco stick!"

You can always get free condoms (including cute ones like this) at Planned Parenthood in CT, and with 18 health centers across the state, there's definitely one in your area. We loves 'em coz they're really LGBTQIA friendly, open and affirming.

You can always get free condoms at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective (HGLHC), too. Stop in and grab some in all the cool varieties we have to offer, no questions asked!

-jamie

TXT 4 UR TEST!

2010-04-14T17:52:00.000-04:00

DID YOU KNOW....

1 in 2 people who have sex will get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by the age of 25, and most won’t know it. If you’re sexually active, the only way to know is to GYT (Get Yourself Talking and Tested).

OMG. GYT!

http://www.hivtest.org/

Find your nearest HIV and STD testing site. Or call 860-278-4163 to set up your testing appointment.

You can even confidentially TEXT MESSAGE the Safety Net team leader, Jamie B, to set up an HIV and/or STD test. Just text "HIV TEST" to 860-268-3777.

Be Well. Be Yourself.

--jamie b., Safety Net team leader

News from HGLHC!

2010-04-12T14:40:00.000-04:00

Queer Prom 2010 * April is STD Awareness Month * Gay Bingo April 24 * Komen Foundation Grant at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective * New Board Member Marci Simmons * Volunteer Spotlight on Douglas Zywiczynski

& MORE!

Safety Net: Condom Demonstration!

2010-04-07T17:26:00.002-04:00

SAFETY NET team members Troy and Jamie show you how to use a male condom correctly!

Sex and the UniverCity: Sun, shades and STDs

2010-04-06T16:33:00.002-04:00

Sex and the UniverCity: Sun, shades and STDs
From the University of Connecticut's DAILY CAMPUS Newspaper
By Alyssa Carroll
Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Bikinis, beaches and bodies; spring break is a guaranteed recipe for some seriously sexy times. But with a week of students looking to party, there’s something else that can really make things start burning up: an STD.

Meeting people is bound to happen, but for every sexy accent comes a whole slew of foreign diseases ready to pounce on your freshly-tanned body.

International travelers are at particularly high risk of contracting STDs, including HIV and syphilis, when having sex with locals.

Foreign locations may have legalized prostitution, and just because you would never be involved with one, doesn’t mean the cute guy on the beach never has.

Similarly, when having a one-night stand, take a minute to think about the person you’re with (beyond their cute butt). Think to yourself about how easy a decision it was for that person to sleep with you. If it doesn’t seem like this is a new thing for this person, you may want to wonder how many times he or she has done this before.

According to 1999 World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, “340 million new cases of curable STIs (syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis) occur annually throughout the world in adults aged 15-49 years,” and the number is only growing.

WHO also reports 30 different kinds of sexually transmissible bacteria, viruses and parasites.

So, let’s do some quick math.

If there were 340 million curable STI cases in ’99, 30 kinds of STDs and 200 people in the bar you’re partying at, what are the chances of contracting something totally vacation-ruining?

Probably higher than your chances of winning a wet T-shirt contest.

These numbers are not listed to encourage celibacy, but being smart and safe is obviously the most important part of being on vacation.

Now, in an attempt to avoid preachy “safer sex” information about the importance of condoms (and about how they are 99.9 percent effective in preventing pregnancy and how they prevent STDs and general grossness), I’ll skip that whole spiel. [Safety Net editor's note: you can find all that info on this page anyway!]

But remember, crabs are only cute on the beach.

Safety Net St. Patrick's Day Party @ Tommy's!

2010-03-15T14:56:00.002-04:00

Wednesday, March 17th
7-10PM (or whenever)

Tommy's Restaurant - Gay/Bear Night
825 Saybrook Road
Middletown, CT

Directions, menu, etc here: http://www.tommysrestaurant.com/

Join us for a fun night at Tommy's Restaurant in Middletown. It's gay & bear night, so join the guys and the Safety Net crew for a fun night of food, drinks, and FREE STUFF to celebrate St Patrick's Day!

Bring your cell phones and wireless devices and send out this month's Safety Net message on site for your chance to win prizes, gift cards, and more!

It's gonna be fun night. We'll see you there! Rock out with your shamrock out!

-jamie

Show YOUR True Colors... wink wink

2010-03-12T10:25:00.006-05:00

Hey er'rybodddy!

It's time for the weekend, woohoo! Hopefully you're on your way out to enjoy the True Colors conference, the world's largest LGBTQIA youth conference being held at UConn in Storrs today and tomorrow, and you're psyched for the great workshops, free giveaways, amazing information, really cool brilliant people, fun gay stuff to buy, and FUN FUN FUN events and basically the biggest gayest day for LGBTQIA youth I can think of. Always a good time.

But maybe you've got even gayer activities planned for the weekend, like... um... well, I guess the only thing more queer than the True Colors conference is gay sex itself! (Although I saw this Facebook post about the conference today: "Damn. That's gay. But not as gay as eating a unicorn sandwich at a Liza Minnelli conference while wearing a Mariah Carey t-shirt and twirling a baton dipped in glitter." And yeah, that's possibly gayer than gay sex).

Anyway, if you might be gettin' lucky this weekend, DO get some fun GREEN condoms from HGLHC to celebrate spring and/or St Patrick's Day. And speaking of colorful condoms, I found this really fun, hot sex game from a Johns Hopkins newsletter. Yes, we nerds have sex, too! Here's a hot sex game idea:

"Condoms don't need to have such a negative stigma. In fact, with
the right attitude and the right choices, condoms can be fun and can provide another reason to play games in bed. For example, a friend of mine assigns each "activity" a color, picks a condom randomly and they do whatever the color is -- while using the condom."

Why didn't I think of that?! We just got a new shipment of all kinds of fun rainbow color condoms so you can have ALL varieties of "activities" depending on what color condom you use... brings a whole new meaning to "collect them all!" In fact, I challenge you to go ahead and stop by to pick up an assortment of rainbow rubbers to try this out. Hey, I'll even have 'em right near the front door for you so you can just get in and out and on with it. I meant the condom pick-up, not the condom useage! Oh, your poor deprived partner.

Then come back here and post your most creative safer sex ideas (positions, activities, places, etc!), one for each color of the rainbow. Sounds hot!

-jamie

Have a really happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-12T09:21:00.005-05:00

Don't miss the condom of the month at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective... pick up your free condoms in four-leaf-clover green in their spring-grass-green wrappers to celebrate spring or St. Patrick's Day in style!

Get lucky with lubricated LifeStyles brand condoms, and...

rock out with your shamrock out!

Grab your free condoms & safer sex kits at HGLHC, 1841 Broad St in Hartford. Stop in and say hi to the safer sex squad, or talk to Jamie to become part of the Safety Net team-- you could win great gift cards, have fun, and hook your friends up with cool, free goodies.

Congratulations to Austin, our most recent Safety Net teammate who won our monthly drawing for a $25 gift card. Austin has been a stellar participant in Safety Net since its humble beginnings and is one of the funniest & nicest guys I know. He's also helped to come up with previous Safety Net messages and is actively involved in social and community-building events in Hartford, CT, and beyond.

At right is one of my my favorite pics of him, giving some serious sexy face! Thanks again for being on the Safety Net team.

January's Second Safety Net Message

2010-01-28T14:35:00.007-05:00

Congratulations to ERNESTO, our Safety Net volunteer winner of the month! He received a $25 gift card to Dunkin Donuts for his participation this month in the Safety Net HIV prevention program. I want to encourage our Safety Net volunteers to fill out the online survey after your participation each month. You, too, could win fabulous gift cards and prizes while helping the community!

If you’d like to become a Safety Net volunteer, text or call me, Jamie, at 860-268-3777 (add me into your contacts as Jamie Bassell if you want) to get started.

If you’re already a volunteer, GREAT! Please go ahead and send out the 2nd message of January:

Use a condom with your partner tonight. It’ll look good on you! ;) From your friends @ Safety Net. More info: www.hglhc.org/safetynet

(This can also be abbrvt’d in the following txt form)

use a condom w ur partner 2night. It’ll look gr8 on u! from ur friends @ Safety Net. hglhc.org/safetynet

Condoms can be sexy, and HGLHC has many colors, flavors, textures, brands, and varieties. Some have lube, studs or ribs for extra pleasure, and others even glow in the dark! Be creative, be sexy, be safe.

All kinds of condoms are available for free at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective. Stop in for a sampler pack or see what we have to offer. Find the perfect condom for you and your partner.

Make a stylish statement with different styles available.
They're the perfect way to accessorize any outfit... especially a birthday suit. ;)

Express yourself AND protect yourself!

From your friends,
-The Safety Net Team

Happy New Year from Safety Net @ HGLHC!

2010-01-03T23:06:00.005-05:00

Safety Net wants to help you get a head start on your new year's resolution to have a happy and healthy 2010. From now until January 22nd, get a FREE rapid HIV test at Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective (HGLHC) when you present the text or email you received with this information, or mention the code "SN2010."

Call, email, or IM to make an appointment. Contact details for the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective are below:

Location: 1841 Broad St, Hartford CT. Just a block south of Trinity College.
Phone: (860) 278-4163 (ext 17 for Jamie B, and/or her confidential voicemail)
Email: jamieb@hglhc.org (confidential email address for Jamie B, Safety Net project coordinator and HIV Counselor)
AOL Instant Messenger Screen Name: HGLHC

And new for 2010... make a resolution to find the perfect condom for you and your partner(s).

http://www.condomdepot.com/product/detail.cfm/nid/212/pid/2474

Or pick up your free condoms at HGLHC. We always have tons of fun varieties to try and they are completely, totally, 100% free of charge!

Be Well! Be Yourself.

Jamie
--The Safety Net Team @ HGLHC

Safer Sex is Hot Sex.... bring the movement back!

2009-12-21T09:32:00.008-05:00

Our Mid-December SAFETY NET message is:

Safer sex is HOT sex. See why at http://hglhc-safety-net.blogspot.com/. A message from the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective. Be Well. Be Yourself.

In the 90's, there was a big push for the "safer sex is hot sex" campaign to bring awareness about HIV prevention through the practice of safer sex-- using condoms to during anal (and oral) sex to prevent the body-fluid exchange* that can cause HIV infection.

Let's bring back hot, sexy, horny, amazing, safe, fun, passionate, amazing sex! We can enjoy ourselves and avoid HIV and STDs if we all agree to use condoms each and every time we have sex. Keep yourselves and your partners & loved ones safe. Safer sex is hot sex!

http://www.safesexishotsex.com/

*Did you know.... the main bodily fluids that can transmit HIV are:

Semen (aka cum, jizz, ejaculate, cream, load, wad, etc!) If you have any other fun word suggestions.... add them as a response to this post! ;)

Blood (through sharing needles used for drugs or hormones or other purposes, or also if delicate tissue on/in/around the anus or penis tears or gets cut during sex)

Vaginal fluids (when having sex with a woman, this is the "wetness" or lubrication in and around a woman's vagina)

Breast milk (specifically, when transmitted from mother to child)

You can always get safe, confidential testing at the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective and talk with an HIV counselor, STD nurse or doctor about your sexual health concerns and get tested in a caring, judgment-free environment.

Or, find your nearest HIV testing site by going to: http://hivtest.org/

Be Well. Be Yourself!

Love from your Safety Net friends
at the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective <3

Whether you've been naughty or nice this year...

2009-12-18T11:39:00.003-05:00

... it's always a good idea to stay in charge of your health. Why not stop in for a routine HIV and STD testing as a holiday gift for yourself and your partner or partners?

Make an appointment at HGLHC for services including STD diagnosis and treatment, HIV counseling and testing, Hepatits A&B screening and immunization, and a variety of social and health/wellness groups for the LGBTQIA and HIV/AIDS communities.

More info on all that HGLHC has to offer: http://www.hglhc.org

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

HIV and AIDS in Connecticut... yes, it's happening here.

2009-11-30T13:29:00.004-05:00

Facts about HIV/AIDS in Connecticut:
Unless otherwise noted, statistics from the CT Dept. of Public Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance Reports

Since 1980, there have been 19,123 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Connecticut.
10,860 people are living with HIV/AIDS in the state as of 12/31/2008.
Nearly 20,000 people in CT are estimated to be living with HIV; up to 30% of those infected with HIV are unaware of their HIV+ status.
CT ranks 14th in the nation in AIDS cases per capita.
In 2005, CT had the fastest growing rate of AIDS in New England. (Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts)
In 2008, 14% of newly reported cases of HIV/AIDS were in people under the age of 29.
Proportionately, Connecticut leads the nation in the number of AIDS cases among injecting drug users; third in cases among women; and third in the nation in cases among Latinos and Latinas. (Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts)

Safety Net is an important way to reach all of our communities in Connecticut to let them know that HIV/AIDS is important and still relevant, even though it may not be at the forefront of public health awareness issues. You can keep yourself safe by using condoms correctly every time you have sex with your parnter(s). You can help keep your friends safe by participating in Safety Net to text or email them about the importance of safer sex and HIV prevention, and having important conversations with them about these issues.

-Jamie
Safety Net Project Captain

October's Safety Net Message!

2009-10-25T23:04:00.004-04:00

The Safety Net message for October:

Be sure to check your candy this Halloween. ;) HIV&STD testing at HGLHC. More info at www.hglhc.org or http://hglhc-safety-net.blogspot.com

The Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective (HGLHC) offers confidential and compassionate HIV rapid testing (results in 20 minutes) and STD testing and treatment. We specialize in serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning community and our straight/heterosexual allies, as well.

Call HGLHC at 860-278-4163 or send a confidential email to me, Jamie, at jamieb@hglhc.org (the Safety Net project captain and author of this blog!) and I would be happy to make on appointment to see you for HIV counseling and testing, or to set you up with an appointment with any of our caring staff and volunteers, including HIV counselors, our STD nurse, doctors, and medical professionals.

And some words of wisdom from my good friend Darth Vader, who might be making an appearance at the RainbowRoom Halloween Dance...

Yes, he's holding a glow in the dark condom! They're the perfect accessory for any Halloween costume, really...

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Jamie~~
~~ The Safety Net Team @ HGLHC

Trick or Treat!

2009-10-21T17:06:00.006-04:00

Too old to trick or treat this year? Satisfy your sweet tooth @ HGLHC with delicious condoms and sexxxy lubes in delicious candy flavors-- strawberry, banana, vanilla, butterscotch, fresh peach, kiwi, berry-licious, cool mint, and bubblegum blast!

Have a VERY happy Halloween! Safe sex is hot sex, and you can get your fix of the flavors you crave at HGLHC with our free flavored condoms, lubricants, and dental dams.

Unsure about what costume to wear to those fun Halloween events going on this year, like HGLHC's Halloween Bingo @ Marco Polo on Halloween Night (10/31), 6:30 PM, or the RainbowRoom Youth Halloween Dance, the under 21 dance at the Pond House in West Hartford?? Condoms make a great costume accessory-- Mardi Gras Miguel tosses beads, flavored condoms and lubes -- "catch prizes, not STDs!"

Having safer sex (using condoms or other barriers) means you can have more fun, because you don't have to have any worry even a little bit about the risks of HIV and STDs associated with having unprotected sex. Take care of yourselves-- you're worth it!

Speaking of trick or treating, one way you don't want to be tricked is by having a hookup before talking about your HIV status with your partner. HIV is a big deal-- there is no cure, and it can seriously impact your life and your health. Know your status: get tested at HGLHC or at your nearest HIV testing site. And talk to your partners before you have sex about their status. Encourage your partners to get tested if they haven't had a recent test (in the last 6 months, or with any new partners, especially if they had unprotected sex).

--The Safety Net Team

Safety Net Volunteers

2009-10-21T16:53:00.004-04:00

Bottoms Up!

2009-09-20T18:38:00.007-04:00

Bottoms up! "Come" prepared with condoms if you are going to the bar tonight. Free safer sex goodies like condoms, dental dams, and lubricants (lube) always @ HGLHC. Stop by and visit us!

Heading out to the club this weekend? Think ahead and take condoms with you, just in case! You might not make the best choices about safer sex when you're drinking, so be prepared by carrying condoms with you for you and your friends.

You can always get free condoms at the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective @ 1841 Broad Street in Hartford-- we have lots of varieties to choose from!

OUR CONDOM BAR INCLUDES.....

Durex Maximum Love Lubricated Condoms

thin condoms that contain extra silky smooth lubricant for a natural experience
unique "Easy-On" design makes protecting yourself quick, easy and pleasurable

LifeStyles Kiss Of Mint Unlubricated Condoms

Condom has no lubrication but a delicious minty flavored powder
Great for oral sex- no taste of "wet lube!" Kiss of mint refreshment!

Kimono Special Lubricated Condom

Kimono Special condoms. Kimono Special is Extra sensitive, yet strong and reliable, the Kimono Special is 20% thinner than standard condoms.
Manufactured to Kimono's strict standards and specifications, the Kimono Special is Form-fitting contour shape, reservoir tip and an exceptional condom.

Durex Rainbow Colors Condoms

Lubricated latex condoms
Classic shaped condoms in fun, colorful latex
Available in red, blue, green, pink and orange.

Durex Avanti NON-LATEX Condoms

Durex Avanti condoms are made from a unique polyurethane material that is odorless
It's important to use non-latex condoms if you or your partner(s) have a latex allergy! Avanti condoms can be used by the small percentage of the population (typically 1-3%) that are sensitive to natural rubber latex.

Unlike natural latex, polyurethane condoms are resistant to oil-based lubricants. If you are using a latex condom, however, it is important that you only use water-based lubricants.

Stop in and pick up your free safer sex kits including some of these condoms so you can be ready for the weekend!

We also have rapid HIV testing and STD testing and treatment so you can take care of business before you get down to business.

Be Well. Be Yourself!

xoxoxo, The Safety Net Team

More Info on Barebacking.... [click this title]

2009-08-25T08:10:00.002-04:00

And another great article from gay.com on barebacking. Stay safe y'all!

xoxox-
safety net team

Wanna ride bareback? Join a rodeo.

2009-08-21T11:04:00.011-04:00

Having unprotected sex, also known as barebacking or bareback sex, puts both sexual partners at a higher risk for HIV and other STDs. Use a condom correctly every time you have sex so you don't have to worry about this serious risk.

Wrap it up. Ride on, cowboy.

Condom Country Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jnf_gNKdMM

Be Well. Be Yourself!

xoxox,
--the Safety Net team at HGLHC