AIDS , Counseling , Health , Human Service Organizations , Human Services , Mental Health , Mental Health Treatment

Through six core innovative programs aniz inc provides support to the community through intervention, collaboration, counseling, research and education. During 2016 aniz supported the community in the following ways:(1) hiv testing provided to at risk populations for hiv, hep c, and conducted referrals for sexually transmitted diseases. During the year aniz was able to test more than 1,100 at risk patients. (2) exploration of data for pyscho-social group meetings. The meetings were held 3 times per month to provide individuals with knowledge, motivation, and skills needed to make choices that reduce the harming of themselves through substance use and opioid misuse. (3) exploration of data trends within pyscho-social support groups. The support groups are also held 3 times per month for patients in need of mental health and hiv support. These mental health programs help reduce harm, promote health, and improve quality of life for indiviuduals at risk. Data obtained from support groups indicates that participants are learning key prevention concepts. From this data aniz is continuously building data mechanisms to refine internal processes. (4) individual mental health and substance use counseling was provided to approximately 500 patients who are affected by hiv and are seeking mental wellness, and faced with substance use. (5) by collaborating with others (who), the organization is able to educate targeted groups about the risks of contracting hiv/aids. This education provides information to include healthy decision-making skills to reduce risks of hiv, sti, and unintended pregnancy. The organization further educations participants on safer sex practices, sexual wellness, healthy relationships, allowing for opportunities to unmask secrecy, shame and guilt. (6) aniz conducted community research studies to address the gaps within the literature around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lbgt) health access for use in training medical staff and identifying best practices for medical practitions to provide more culturally competent care. Some of the key findings from the transgender medical access study indicated that: transgender health research & clinical services are moving at a rapid pace, but the social construction on trans identity is evolving even quicker facilitating trans health is complicated by the generational identity constructions, race, and sestraining case studies assumed all patients came from a stable socioeconomic meanssocial support networks buttress, and can contradict, medical provider treatment advice according to data collected from the bisexual study, the identity construction was non-gender binary. Meaning transgender identified individuals are also represented in the bisexual spectrum. These individuals feel more marginalized and less accepted by societal gender norms.