DC HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs

As you may know, HIV/AIDS has reached an epidemic level in the D.C. community. Currently more than 3% of D.C.'s population is living with HIV/AIDS- a prevalence rate higher than West Africa. According to the 2009 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Report, this rate has increased 22% from 2006, signaling that a dramatic response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in D.C. is necessary. It is important to note that the disease is not limited to a specific sexual orientation or demographic. D.C. residents of differing races, sexes, and levels socio-economic status have all been affected. Men having sex with men is the leading mode of transmission however; heterosexual transmission and injection drug use are not too far behind in numbers.

The D.C. HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (HPCPG), along with the Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Administration (HAHSTA), is looking for people who are interested in finding a solution to the local HIV epidemic. HPCPG is looking for new members to sit on the committee to help guide the city’s approach to HIV/AIDs detection and prevention.

One of your readers might be the perfect person to fulfill this role. We would love your help in spreading the word about this important issue in our community.

HPCPG members serve two year terms. The HPCPG is currently recruiting new members from all backgrounds, and welcomes unique and differing perspectives on the issue, as we work together to find a solution.

Applications for the group are due on December 2nd; therefore it is best to get the word out sooner rather than later. For more information on HPCPG and the possibility of joining the HPCPG team, please see the Fact Sheet at the bottom of this email.

Fact Sheet

The District of Columbia HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (HPCPG) guides HIV prevention in the District, along with the DC Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration (HAHSTA). Members of the HPGCP are from local communities and/or HIV/AIDS prevention specialists and reflect the District’s diverse population.

The HPCPG is responsible for deciding which populations are in greatest need of HIV prevention services, as well as deciding what the best ways to meet those needs are. HAHSTA, in turn, is responsible for funding programs and services that match the HPCPG’s decisions.

Background

In 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asked all states and several cities with high numbers of AIDS cases to take part in a new effort to form planning partnerships for HIV prevention programs. Each CDC funded health department created a community-wide planning process for HIV prevention in order to benefit from the involvement of their communities in developing complete HIV prevention plans.

The HIV Prevention Plan

Along with the HPCPG’s recommendations, the HIV Prevention Plan contains information on HIV Prevention in the District of Columbia, including, a description of the planning process, a summary of the HIV prevention needs of various behavioral risk populations, and prioritized behavioral risk populations

There are three principal uses for the HIV prevention Plan:

·  The DC Department of Health makes funding decisions based on priorities set in the Plan.
·  HIV Prevention providers look to the Plan for help developing strong HIV prevention programs.
·  Current and future HPCPG members use the Plan as the basis for continuing HIV prevention planning.

Diversity in community representation

The HPGCP is comprised of a diverse group of community members whose demographics and skills represent the epidemic. The categories represented include:

· Gender
· Age
· Ethnic/Racial Background
· Sexual Orientation
· Injection Drug Use History or Work with Injection Drug Users
· HIV Serostatus
· Technical Skills (behavioral science, research, epidemiology, etc.)
· Community Based Organization Representation

How to become involved

There are two ways to participate in the HPGCP: Join the HPCPG or come to meetings. The membership application can be downloaded HERE

Even if you do not join, you are always welcome at any of our meetings.

The HPCPG meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month from 5:30-8:00 PM at Department of Health facilities. Meeting dates and times are posted on the HPCPG website.

D.C. Health Dept.'s Post-inspection Summary of KPRCG Site Inspection

As requested by Commissioner Raglin, Maria Hille - Program Manager, Bureau of Community Hygiene, DC Department of Health - performed a site inspection in and around the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden on August 18, 2010 to observe conditions that might harbor and provide breeding areas for mosquitoes.

Below is Ms. Hille's post-inspection summary email to ANC7D01 Commissioner Raglin and KPRCG Co-coordinator Bob Coomber. Bob Coomber's email response follows. Emails have been reproduced in their entirety and italicization has been added for reference.

For background on this situation, refer HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

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Sent August 20, 2010


Dear Ms. Raglin and Mr. Coomber,

On Wednesday [August] 18, 2010 I conducted the inspection at the neighborhood and only found 2 problems, one case of overgrown vegetation that needs to be reported to the proper authority and water logging at a property on E St. NE. I already started investigating on the responsible parties in order to address these concerns. The yards appear cleaner and clear from clutter than last year.

The community garden also looked much better maintained than last year. No debris piles, no standing water, no gross overgrowth. The only item that needs attention is a better layout of the screen material at the mouth of the water barrel to prevent any intrusion of mosquitoes.

Any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. Thanks,

Maria Hille

Program Manager / Bureau of Community Hygiene / HRLA
DC Department of Health / Animal Disease Prevention / Government of the
District of Columbia

825 North Capitol St., NE / Suite 8026
Washington DC 20002
Office: (202) 535 -1952
Mobile:(202) 380 - 6944
Fax: (202) 535 -1359
maria.hille@dc.gov / www.doh.dc.gov

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Sent August 20, 2010

Thanks Ms. Hille. We will work on getting a better screen.

Regards,

Bob Coomber

Round IV - KPRCG vs. Kingman Park Civic Association

Below is a response email from Frazer Walton - President, Kingman Park Civic Association - to Bob Coomber's email response to ANC7D01 Commissioner Raglin dated Thursday, August 12, 2010 . Bob Coomber's response to Franzer Walton follows. Emails have been reproduced in their entirety; italicized text has been added for reference.

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Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 at 12:33 PM

ROSEDALE ALLIANCE "GARDEN GROUP" NON-COMPLIANCE WITH D.C. HEALTH CODE COMMUNITY COMPLIANCE REQUEST THAT THE GARDEN GROUP COMPLY WITH D.C. LAW

Mr. Coomber:

This e-mail comes in reply to your e-mail dated August 12, 2010. The Kingman Park Civic Association is very disappointed that you would make false, untruthful and intentionally misleading statements to the D.C. City Counsel, officials of the District Government, the ANC Commission, and the general public. You have falsely stated, and implied that the Rosedale Alliance "Garden Group" did not commit D.C. Health Code violations last summer. This misleading misrepresentation was made by you, when you stated in your e-mail that the owner of the subject "Garden" lot was cited for health code violations and not the "garden group."

The truth is that the owner of the subject "garden" lot was cited last summer for health code violations that were committed by "The Rosedale Alliance Garden Group." See the attached, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INSPECTION REPORT. The false representations [in your August 12th e-mail] that the garden group was not responsible for the health code violations are inexcusable and extremely deceptive. This now leaves your credibility, and the credibility of your group in question.

In addition, you have falsely and intentionally mispresented the fact that the garden group did not build an illegal wooden fence, which surrounds the "garden lot." This is an out right falsehood. The fence was build by several members of your garden group, and witnessed by neighbors, many, whose homes are adjacent to the garden lot. Mr. Jordan and you failed to obtain required governmental permits to construct the fence, and you proceeded to construct the fence despite objections by many of the adjacent landowners.
The obstruction created by the fence prevents many of the adjacent landowners from observing and reporting suspicous criminals to the police and appropriate authorities. This is exactly why you and Mr. Jordan are required to obtain permits first. Unwanted strangers and characters are seen coming and going from the rear of adjacent homes at all times of the night and day. Your group greatly contributed to this problem because the problem did not exist prior to your efforts to bring dozens of individuals to the rear of the homes. We are demanding that you and your group remove the illegal fence and stop this course of misconduct.


Equally disturbing is your untruthful statement that dead bodies or a dead body was found on the lot. Nothing is further from the truth. What type of morbid thought would bring you to make such a false statement. Before you arrived we had a wonderful neighborhood, and we will continue our reputation as a historically great D.C. community.

KPCA will continue to monitor this issue, and we will not hesitate to contact public officials and neighors about any unlawful activity and health code violations. I am sure that Ms. Marie Hille of the D.C. Department of Health will confirm the violations caused by the "garden group" last summer. Committing these health code violations for a second summer is not responsible activity. I suggest that you contact her immediately.

Sincerely,

Frazer Walton
President
Kingman Park Civic Association

Attachment: D.C. Department of Health Inspection Report


***********************
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:30:53


Dear Mr. Walton:

In my email, I wrote that the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden "conversed with DC DOH, rectified all issues they raised, and a citation was not issued" last summer. A brief record of that conversation can be seen in the DC DOH report, which you attached to your email. It is supportive of the account of events in my emails. The Report did not state that the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden or its members were issued a notice of abatement or a citation, which runs counter to your claim that there was a "misleading misrepresentation was made by you, when you stated in your e-mail that the owner of the subject 'Garden' lot was cited for health code violations and not the 'garden group.'" The Report does not involve the issuance of any citations, but only mentions that an abatement notice was sent to "Mr. Asad Hameed, who owns the land that is used by the community garden."

There are many issues that contribute to the mosquito problem in the Kingman Park and Rosedale neighborhoods, and a well tended Garden is at the bottom of the list. On the plot next to the Garden, the vegetation grew so long at one point this summer that it was much higher than the fence that has surrounded the Garden area for many years. Such overgrowth is a source of mosquitoes; as are the large puddles that form in the dilapidated alleys; as are the water traps in all of the backyards on either side of 21st Street, NE between D and E Streets that do not properly drain; as are clogged gutters. Working together to rectify these issues would be a more effective use of your, Ms. Raglin's, and my time and energy.

Our DCRA compliant repairs to the fence have been addressed by my previous emails. Your claim that it prevents people from seeing criminals inside the Garden is difficult to understand, considering the fence is largely transparent. (see attached picture below)



I did not write that dead bodies or a dead body was/were found in the Garden lot. The first reference to dead bodies being found on the property that contains the Garden was in your email. It is disturbing that you created this issue.

I have been in close contact with Ms. Hille of the DC DOH. In an email to Ms. Raglin this morning, Ms. Hille wrote that I corresponded with her "in a responsible manner and disclosed many details that left me at ease with confidence that the garden was under capable hands." Feel free to contact her for further information.

If you have any further concerns, feel free to contact me. I look forward to working together with other Kingman Park and Rosedale residents to address the issues that confront us.

Regards,

Bob Coomber
Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG) Co-coordinator