As many of you know, another one of our young gay men and friends has died of AIDS. Our community is suffering so many losses, I wonder how much more we can carry. Each loss is a tremendous weight.
Each time one of my clients dies, I take time to reflect on the lessons they have taught me. Many times, the messages are to be more gentle and loving towards oneself, to believe that friends really do care and have no ulterior motives for their caring, and/or that one can carry so much pain, both physical and emotional, and still value life. Looking at these statements, I feel that these words do not express the meaning of these messages. Unfortunately, words are all I have.
It is my hope that clients find solace and comfort in the counseling provided to them by Kent/ Sussex AIDS Program (KSAP) during their HIV journey. I believe that most of them do. I also believe that clients living with HIV are pushed into another developmental phase of adulthood, one for which they have not had life experiences to deal with. This developmental phase is usually experienced by people in their seventies or eighties who have had a long lifetime to experience and to prepare for the final phase of life. When people are thrust from one developmental phase to another without gradual progression, crisis is felt. This crisis may be felt immediately or may be delayed. But one thing I have found to be true, the crisis does take place. It may not be identified by the person experiencing it as a crisis, but crisis it is.
Another thing that can be said of finding out that you are HIV positive is that your life will never be the same, it may be better or worse, but it will never be the same. This is a lesson taught to me by those I have worked with in counseling. Therefore, it is necessary for many people to seek the assistance of a counselor during this time of crisis. As you know, KSAP has been providing counseling, advocacy, and general support to people affected and effected by HIV since 1989. I believe that these are valuable services and must be continued.
During this time of cutbacks on both a federal and state level, especially the restrictions of Ryan White Care ACT funds, financial support is becoming much harder to find. Agencies are being forced to focus their program development on projects that will be more likely to get larger funding allocations. Unfortunately, HIV is not one of these "favorite" programs. The KSAP staff is committed to serving the needs of people with HIV, popular or not. However, we must now go directly to our local communities to ask for support and donations to our 501(c)3 tax deductible program. I am making a request for your assistance now, and I hope that my service in our community is valued enough that you will feel that a donation is in order.
Recently I lost not only a client but a dear friend. He was a community leader and gave constantly of his time and withering energy to push for HIV/AIDS services. When it was his time to be served, there was little left. Is this fair? Is this just? Is this how we want all the work of the past to conclude? The cost of medications continues to skyrocket. Even if one was financially stable prior to the illness, the disease robs the pocket quickly. When the choice is medication or counseling there is no choice. Should we only support drugs and not support?
Our most urgent need is for continued funding to support a KSAP counselor position. This counselor works directly with clients who have HIV. If she is laid-off due to budget cut backs, several clients will need to be discharged and placed on a waiting list. This will not only disrupt their services, but will also mean that a KSAP counselor, not a general services counselor but one who specializes in serving the needs of those living with HIV, will be unavailable to provide treatment. Our KSAP counselors offer services to clients both in our offices and in the clients home. KSAP is the only program currently set up to serve the client in both settings. The support KSAP offers, especially in the late stages of the disease, should not be denied to clients in need.
Our staff volunteer much of their time to provide services but we are short of time and believe dollars show value by the community. Counseling should be valued. Because of managed care, clients who were able to choose where and who would provide services are now forced to go to providers certified by their insurance companies. Unfortunately, in Sussex County, these providers are few and far between. We are certified by many, but not all insurance companies. The client who is eligible for Medicaid Waiver services has no approved providers in Sussex County. This means those Waiver clients, those whose needs are the greatest, cannot receive counseling services in Sussex. We are currently investigating the requirements to be a Waiver services provider, but this will take several months and may not include reimbursement for home sessions.
I am raising a red flag to get your attention and to ask for financial help for KSAP and our Waiver clients, as well as other PWAs without means to pay for counseling. Many of these people provided energy, time and support to others before them. Now, its their turn. Please help us by donating funds so that we can continue to staff KSAP with highly trained, HIV sensitive counselors. We must make sure that those people who have given can continue to have their counseling needs met. None of us should die alone.
As leaders in the community we appreciate all the support you have given us in the past and hope to continue our communication to create many opportunities to work together in our quest for a happy, healthy, cohesive, supportive gay and lesbian community in Southern Delaware.
Your donations may be sent to the Kent/Sussex AIDS Program, 410 South Bedford Street, Georgetown, DE 19947. If you have any questions please call me, Penny LeCates, M.S.W., Program Director at 302 856-2388.
Thanks for listening,
- Penny LeCates
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5/16/97 Issue. Copyright 1997 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved.