February 7, 2018 marks the 18th year for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in the United States and the Diaspora. This year’s theme is “Stay the course, the fight is not over!” NBHAAD was founded in 1999 as a national response to the growing HIV and AIDS epidemic in African American communities. The initiative leverages a national platform to educate, bring awareness, and mobilize the African American community.
NBHAAD has four key focus areas which encourage people to: Get Educated about HIV and AIDS; Get Involved in community prevention efforts; Get Tested to know their status; and Get Treated to receive the continuum of care needed to live with HIV/AIDS. To learn how your local health department (LHD) can address stigma and discrimination, extend the reach of your HIV prevention and testing services, and link those who are HIV-positive to care, check out the below resources developed specifically to support African-American communities:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Health Resources & Services Administration: HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA/HAB)
- AIDSVu
- National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
- National Minority AIDS Council
And don’t forget, NACCHO has resources to help LHDs lead the fight in their own communities, including our PrEP and Local Health Departments Educational Series, PrEP Story Bank, and our Southern Initiative project. Keep fighting the good fight!