HIV Prevention and Risk Reduction

Minority Empowerment Through
Risk-Reduction and Outreach (M.E.T.R.O)

Minority Empowerment Through Risk-Reduction and Outreach (M.E.T.R.O) is a program that targets Blacks/African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, and Minority Ex-offenders of all genders.

The M.E.T.R.O Program educates participants on issues surrounding substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. The goal of the M.E.T.R.O Program is to prevent the onset or relapse of substance abuse, modify risky behaviors, and reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis among minorities.

Participants must be able to attend a session once a week for two hours. Participants will graduate from the program after attending 12 sessions. The sessions are offered on various days and times throughout the week to fit the participants’ schedules.

Eligibility

The Program is open to all eligible community members, HIV negative and HIV positive. To be eligible, participants must be residents of Pinellas County, at least 18 years of age, and of minority descent. Participants will be eligible to receive the following:

Free HIV counseling and testing
Free Hepatitis A, B, and C screening and vaccinations
Free gift cards
Free bus passes or gas cards to assist with transportation
Free mental health counseling

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 727-321-3854 and ask to speak with a staff member of the M.E.T.R.O. Program.

Real Life – Becoming A Responsible Teen (B.A.R.T.)

B.A.R.T. is an HIV-prevention program for Black/ African American and Latino teens ages 13-17 who reside in Pinellas County. The goal of the program is to empower these youth with the mental attitude, social skills and organizational support to improve their health, make better decisions, improve their self-awareness, increase overall academic achievements and educational retention rates. Additionally, the program will assist them in taking responsibility for their actions, clarify their own values about sexual activity, and make informed decisions that will help them avoid becoming infected with HIV.

Participants will meet for eight 90-minute sessions once a week. This program is FREE of charge. Transportation and gift card incentives will be given to each enrolled youth participant after each session attended. All group sessions will be facilitated by a Prevention Counselor and a Prevention Navigator through a variety of methods, such as interactive group discussions, role-plays and culturally appropriate videos, participants will learn:

Essential information about HIV and AIDS and how it affects the body
Ways to handle social and sexual pressures
Strategies to communicate assertively with peers
Refusal skills & How to Say NO
How to make good decisions and avoid/decrease risky activities
Appropriate condom use skills
Skills to become HIV prevention peer educators within their communities

PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Call Cassidy Noble at 727-321-3854 ext. 214 or email CassidyN@metrotampbay.org

PINELLAS COUNTY PREVENTION NAVIGATOR
Call Nina Turner at 727-321-3854 ext. 203 or email NinaT@metrotampbay.org

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PREVENTION NAVIGATOR
Call Rosica Guiteaud at 813-232-3808 ext. 215 or email RosicaG@metrotampabay.org

Bloodlines

Bloodlines is an HIV-prevention program for Black/ African American and Latino teens ages 13-19 who reside in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. The goal is to teach youth about the risks of HIV and STD’s by choosing abstinence, making better decisions and improve their self-awareness. The program also teaches youth the consequences of risky behavior and how to avoid them. We will gladly teach this intervention at any location within Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.

Participants will meet for one session ranging from 45 minutes to two hours. This program is FREE of charge. Gift card incentives will be given to each youth participant after the session. All group sessions will be facilitated by a Prevention Navigator through a variety of methods that supplement the video, such as interactive group discussions and role-plays, participants will learn:

Essential information about HIV and AIDS and how it affects the body
Ways to handle social and sexual pressures
Strategies to communicate assertively with peers
Refusal skills & How to Say NO
How to make good decisions and avoid/decrease risky activities
Appropriate condom use skills

PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Call Cassidy Noble at 727-321-3854 ext. 214 or email CassidyN@metrotampbay.org

PINELLAS COUNTY PREVENTION NAVIGATOR
Call Nina Turner at 727-321-3854 ext. 203 or email NinaT@metrotampbay.org

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PREVENTION NAVIGATOR
Call Rosica Guiteaud at 813-232-3808 ext. 215 or email RosicaG@metrotampabay.org

W.E.S.T. Program – Women Empowered & Standing Tall

The purpose of the Women Empowered and Standing Tall (W.E.S.T.) program is to provide support and education services to women who have a boyfriend, fiancé, or husband who is currently incarcerated or recently released from jail or prison. The W.E.S.T. program empowers women, increases self-esteem, and provides them with the skills to make healthy choices to reduce the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis C, and other STI’s. This program consists of women centered 1-on-1 sessions and interactive support groups.

W.E.S.T. is an eight week program that meets for 2 hours once per week, with an option of an additional 2 weeks. The program is FREE of charge. All group sessions will be facilitated by two Prevention Education Specialists through a variety of methods, such as interactive group discussions, role-plays and culturally and gender appropriate videos.

Participants will be eligible to receive the following benefits:

FREE gift cards, gas cards and bus passes
Women’s wellness and pampering activities
Group sessions are offered on various days and times during the week
FREE HIV and Hepatitis testing available

MINORITY PREVENTION PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Call Cassidy Noble at 727-321-3854 ext. 214 or email CassidyN@metrotampbay.org

PREVENTION EDUCATION SPECIALISTS
Call Julia Ingram at 727-321-3854 ext. 244 or email JuliaI@metrotampbay.org

The Linkage to Life (L2L) Program

This program provides family-centered care to minority families by providing referrals to health and social service resources. The goal of this program is assist families in obtaining needed services to ensure a brighter future for their children and decrease generational cycles of HIV, substance abuse, and incarceration.

Eligibility

Must reside in Pinellas County
Must be a parent/guardian of a child or children under the age of 18.
At least 1 parent/ guardian must have been released from jail/prison or substance abuse treatment program within the past year.

L2L Offers

FREE Gift cards,
FREE Gas cards and Bus passes
FREE HIV testing

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call Erma Boateng or Michael Hollis at 727-321-3854 or email L2L@metrotampabay.org

Young M.I.N.D.S.

Young Minorities Identifying Necessary Decisions for Safety (M.I.N.D.S.) is an empowerment program for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino young adults, ages 18-24, living in Hillsborough County. Young M.I.N.D.S. educates, increases awareness and prevents substance abuse and HIV/AIDS through interactive group sessions, one on one goal setting and social activities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 813-232-3808 and ask to speak with a staff member of the Young M.I.N.D.S. program.