Aim
According to the statute of the HCDCP the Office “supports, plans and carries out actions aimed at offering psychosocial support to hiv+ people, solution to social problems, information and interventions in order to sensitise public opinion and application of policies. The Office also co-ordinates the co-operation of the HCDCP with NGOs that act against AIDS”.
Stuff
P. Damaskos Health Sociologist (Head of the Office)
M. Giannopoulou , Health Psychologist
C. Dresiou, Clinical Psychologist
K. Matzavinou, School Psychologist
A. Krini, Secretary
E. Tabaki, Secretary
Activities
· Counseling and psychological support to individuals with hiv/aids
o Domestic problems caused by seropositivity (such as conflicts between sexual partner, expulsion from the family)
o Support of hiv+ children and their families (such as support of the parents caring a hiv+ child, normalization of the relationship between hiv+ and hiv- siblings)
o Support during the announcement of the hiv status to the partner or family
o Empowerment of hiv+ persons to reschedule their life, to comply with the treatment etc
o Support to partners, families of hiv+ persons to face the new condition of seropositivity
· Information concerning social issues and social benefits such as
o Financial benefit,
o Retirement issues,
o Health care booklet
o Insurance and access to antiretroviral treatment and support the people during the procedure
In 2007 the Office coordinated a work group that aimed to investigate the status of the uninsured hiv+ persons. In 2009 it planned and realized a training in order to train and sensitize health workers about insurance issues and access to treatment. During 2011 the office handled 65 cases of uninsured hiv+ persons and each one of them demanded individually examination and collaboration with a variety of services, such as hospitals, social services, ministries etc
· Financial support:
o The Office provides financial support to hiv + people with serious financial problems, covering for rent, medical needs and examinations, bills for electricity or water, hotel expenses, payment for lawyer or nurses
o Also, it covers basic needs of hiv+ people with financial problems by providing clothes or super- market cheques.
o (Every year the amount of 20.000€ is given to hiv+ people, after examining each case individually)
· Interventions concerning legal issues and human rights in collaboration with the legal advisor of HCDCP
o Confidentiality issues,
o Residence permits for hiv+ migrants,
o Human rights violations (and discrimination in work and services access ,
o Allegations from hiv+ persons about exclusion from work or medical services
· Interventions at community level dealing with crisis, discrimination, stigma and phobia. Cases such as:
o Intervention in community level concerning several cases of homeless hiv+ persons, aiming their social integration
o Intervention in the school community concerning the integration of several cases of hiv+ children in Athens and in the province of Greece. The office organized training seminars in order to inform and sensitize teachers about hiv transmission and prevention, and the psycho- social management of hiv at the school environment
o Intervention at a hospital regarding the integration of an hiv+ health worker in the working environment
o Intervention in community level concerning a ten- year old, hiv+ child in the province of Greece, dealing with the social consequences because of the reveal of his hiv status
· Policy interventions and proposals, such as:
o Inclusion of hiv+ persons in the target group of European programs against the exclusion of the labor market
o (Compliance with the confidentiality to the pension certificate) In collaboration with the Data Protection Authority the Office proposed that the seropositivity should not be written at the pension certificate
o (Hiv+ students can claim transcription to a university close to their clinic) The Office proposed that the hiv+ students at the public universities should claim transcription to a university close to their Clinic in order to be monitored from their Infectious Diseases Unit.
o The office proposed that expenses for reconstructive procedures or facial filters as a solution to lipodystrophy should be covered by the insurance
· Organization and realization of trainings and seminars to health workers concerning hiv issues such as
o Announcement of seropositivity
o Access to health services for uninsured hiv+ people
o Pre-post counseling
o Education of educators in hiv issues
· Collaborations with other offices and departments of HCDCP and other organisations
o Participations in campaigns aiming to inform the public about transmission, prevention of STDs/ HIV and social issues related to hiv
o Participation in interventions aiming to raise public awareness on discrimination issues
o Participation in Interventions to special groups such as children with hiv, immigrants, prisoners, sex workers, MSM, IDUs (today the office conducts the streetwork team for male prostitution)
o Co-operation since 1998 with therapy centers for dependent individuals, providing training seminars concerning the prevention of hiv to IDUs. (Last year 247 people were informed and trained).
o There are also co-operation with NGOs, Infectious Diseases Units, Hospitals, Prison’s Hospital “Agios Paulos” , Children’s Hospital “Agia Sophia”, public services, Ministries aiming at the best interest of the clients of the Office.
Address: 3rd September 56, 10433 Athens
Telephone: +30-210-8817472, +30-210-8817475
Fax: +30-210-8817475
E-mail: [email protected]