CAS Board of Directors Quarterly Regional Reports: Sept–Dec 2016

Following a members’ resolution from during the 2016 Annual Meeting, the Canadian AIDS Society will be publishing on our web site summaries of the quarterly regional reports from each of the Board of Directors. The first of these reports covers the period of September-December 2016.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your regional Board member: http://www.cdnaids.ca/contact-us/board-of-directors/

NB: Please note that reports are published in the language of submission.


Atlantic Regional Director:

submitted by Janet MacPhee.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • Harm Reduction Working Group, Halifax, NS. Talks with the provincial health authority around new ways to increase access to harm reduction material. (Mainline Needle Exchange Northern Healthy Connections Society; Ally Center of Cape Breton; Nova Scotia Healthy Authority.)
  • Sexual Health Center: Discussions to start up a Sexual Health Center in the Truro area. (Northern Healthy Connections Society. Early stages looking for a place/location.

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • AIDS PEI: Fundraising events from September 22nd to the 25th. Also launched a new LGBTQ Youth Group. Planning a Vigil at University of PEI in conjunction with the Native Council. Information booth set up of AIDS Awareness on December 1st at the University open to the public.
  • AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador: Discussed potential for AIDS Walks in NL.
  • AIDS Moncton, AIDS New Brunswick, and AIDS Saint John: These ASOs are teaming up on WAD and NAAW for various local events.
  • Ally Center of Cape Breton (ACCB): Flag raising and tying of red scarves at the Civic Centre. Numerous presentations in colleges and schools scheduled as well as at an LGBTQ Conference on WAD. Candlelight vigil at the African Orthodox Church in Whitney Pier.
  • Mainline: Information session on HIV/AIDS planned at the office on the Dec 1st.
  • Northern Healthy Connections Society (NHCS): Discussed this year’s AIDS Walk. Held a Name Launch and a section of the Quilt on display in several locations. Massive mail out of posters sent to 90 schools, colleges, libraries and community partners in Northern Nova Scotia asking them to put up posters about HIV/AIDS.
  • AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia (ACNS): Discussed this year’s AIDS Walk. ACNS fundraiser on Nov 20 “Brunch with Neville.” Vigil planned for Dec 1st.

Emerging Issues:

  • Since these regions cover the top three highest rates of Hep C, ACCB and NHCS defunding due to the new LOI process could result in some real issues in the future.

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments:

Opportunities:

  • Gary Lacasse was in the region prior to many of the AIDS Walks talking to various ASOs.

Challenges:

  • Time constraints to make contact with other ASOs.

Comments:

  • Involved with a Microresearch project with the Truro Hospital and Sipeknekatik Health Center around needle being disposed of on the ground.
  • Training session with Mainline and Direction 108 on Naloxone administration: December 7th.

Atlantic Regional PLWHIV Director:

submitted by Michael Sangster

Meetings and Outreach:

  • ACNS Poz Men’s Group meeting on January 12th, 2017, Halifax, NS. Informed the group about the changes in PHAC funding. Most members expressed concern.
  • ACNS Poz Men’s Group meeting on December 8th, 2016, Halifax, NS. Informed the group to dismayed reaction about the uncertain PHAC funding for CAS and other ASOs.

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • CAS HIV committee meeting: Monday, January 9th, 2017. Reviewed 2016 resolutions from the 2016 PLWHIV/AIDS Forum and received feedback from the committee members.
  • CAS HIV Committee meeting Friday, December 9th, 2016. Planning for the next CAS Annual Meeting and Forum.

Emerging Issues:

Lack of enough family practice physicians in Atlantic Canada remains as a major issue.

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

  • As CAS Board representative, attended the CAS World AIDS Day event, called the Red Ribbon Event, in Ottawa on Parliament Hill, Dec 1, 2016.
  • Health Minister Hon. Jane Philpott stayed with us for a closed-door session.
  • Meet and chat with MPs and Senators as they came for their red ribbons. Discussed the Canadian AIDS Memorial quilt on display. Several CAS publications available.
  • Along with CAS Executive Director, posed for photos with the MPs and Senators for their community newsletters.

Représentant(e) régional(e) du Québec :

(poste vacant)


Représentant(e) régional(e) des PVVIH du Québec :

(rapport à soumettre par Kaprice)


Ontario Regional Director and Regional PLWHIV Director:

Joint submission by Gerry Croteau and Bridget Young

Meetings and Outreach:

  • Both Directors attended the OAN members meeting – November 15 & 16, Toronto
  • Bridget attended the OHTN Conference: October 24 – 26, and
  • AGM – November 16, Toronto

Contacts with community-based HIV organizations:

  • AIDS Committee of Windsor; discussed possible renewal of CAS membership.
  • Elevate NOW; discussed possible renewal of CAS membership.

Emerging Issues:

  1. Relationship with funders:  example given the AIDS Bureau’s direct involvement in Agenda planning for OAN meetings, workshops and who is or isn’t invited to attend.
  2. LOI process and some ASOs gave their overview. Some ASOs not invited to the full proposal stage were called directly and most were offered 3- 6 months of additional funding.
  3. Had a brief chat with Paul Lapierre – ED/OAN. Paul noted that some Ontario ASOs were wondering why only a few Ontario ASOs were on Basecamp and why all were not included. A subsequent email was sent to let the OAN members know that a simple email to Gary Lacasse and they could get on to Basecamp.

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

  • We sense a need for all HIV organizations in Ontario to bridge differences and work together towards common goals.

Ontario Regional Director:

additional report submitted by Gerry Croteau.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • N/A

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • HARS: John MacTavish – his partner passed on Jan 6, 2017
  • ACDR: discussed possibility of rejoining CAS.
  • Gilbert Centre: will be organizing AIDS Walk in September 2017.

Emerging Issues:

  • U=U (Undectable = Uninfectous or untransmitable)

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

Challenges:

  • Maintaining contact with CAS members
  • “Telephone tagging”

Comments:

  • Partnership building is a must.
  • Learned with profound sadness of the passing of Tony Nobis, Executive Director of the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Ontario Regional PLWHIV Director:

additional report submitted by Bridget Young.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • N/A

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • Gilbert Centre: PLWHIV Engagement Event. Discussed CAS Position Paper on U=U (HIV Undetectable = Untransmittable)

Emerging Issues:

  • U=U Campaign. Learning how PLWHIV view risk, disclosure and how it effects them in their communities.
  • Not everyone is comfortable with U=U due to the Disclosure Laws

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

  • Several e-mail addresses were included from PLWHIV requesting updates from CAS.

Prairie Regional Director:

submitted Mike Payne.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • Collective Impact Network (MB HIV Program): HIV Testing priorities for Manitoba include: Provincial adoption of Routine Testing Guidelines; Logistical solutions to rural and northern testing; Readiness initiatives in northern communities and advancing the MB HIV Stigma project.
  • Prevention Collaborative: HIV/STBBI Prevention Collaborative has completed an informal inventory of agencies providing HIV/STBBI prevention programming. A survey will be conducted to better understand the current scope and focus of resources and explore strategies to better integrate/maximize our existing resources through a collaborative approach.
  • World AIDS Day: Several awareness raising events were held as well as a “Hands Up for HIV Prevention” with participation from agencies thoughout the province.

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • OUT Saskatoon (September): Discussed current priorities in context of CAS and MB/SK.
  • All Nations Hope (September): Discussed current priorities in context of CAS and MB/SK.

Emerging Issues:

  1. New Provincial Government (MB); Lack of Engagement of Government (SK).
  2. MB HIV Program Investment – Provincial Mandate confirmed; SK continues to try and secure a public health emergency acknowledgement. Indigenous HIV conference (SK) in March, 2017 with strong contributions from MB and BC.
  3. PHAC – CAF. When will we know?

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

Opportunities:

  • Collective Impact Network Findings (from November meeting) by Webinar;
  • SK Indigenous HIV Conference Indigenous Women’s Traditional Roles (March) SK.

Follow-up:

  • What is the long term plan for AIDS Walk? What is the timeline and process? Contingent on outcome of CAS funding (1 year or 5 year?)

Resources:

  • Need for updated contact list.

Challenges:

  • Folks are busy – don’t necessarily see how CAS impact their work in a way that prioritizes engagement. The “prairies” construct isn’t always relevant as HIV realities are very different in each region.
  • Folks often don’t respond to email queries.

Comments:

General Feedback: Still unclear about CAS value in context of regional priorities. Proud to be members of CAS, not a lot of uptake on question of increasing participation (e.g. Board, committees, etc).

Some concern that National agencies were not able to unite with a common voice during the PHAC ACAP-CAF transition challenges.  Acknowledgement of CAS’s effort to bring community partners together (appreciated).

Main question:  what is the long term plan for AIDS Walk – does it need to transition to another national agency, or transition to regional/provincial managed events.  What is the timeline and process for this?


Prairies Regional PLWHIV Director:

currently vacant


Pacific Regional Director:

currently vacant


Pacific Regional PLWHIV Director:

submitted by Phil Slater

Meetings and Outreach:

  • Pacific AIDS Network – Loon Lake BC; Positive Leadership Development Institute conference on leadership and how to better approach others living with HIV.
  • Meetup at YouthCO, Vancouver BC; shared information on HIV treatments and diagnoses from other countries.
  • YUP (Youth Unleashing Power): Victoria BC; Meetup with youth to discuss issues and share stories.

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • Positive Living BC, AIDS Vancouver, HIM, YouthCo, Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation; CAS was highlighted within all of these organizations, and very well received.

Emerging Issues:

  1. Fentanyl
  2. PREP
  3. Syphilis

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

Comments:

  • CAS appears to be quite the respected society in western Canada.

Director-at-large: submitted by Vanessa West.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • Northern Health Authority HIV/HCV Services: Several agencies being funded by the Northern Health Authority to provide HIV/HCV Services in northern BC could benefit by participation and connection with CAS and CAAN.

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • Positive Living BC: Participant to the BC Region Caucus on PHAC funding; discussion of World AIDS Day Demonstrations at PHAC Offices; updates on letter campaigns and meetings with local MPs. Recognition of the meetings that CAS has had with the Health Minister; kudos for information sharing and transparency of agencies, both provincially and nationally.

Emerging Issues:

  1. PHAC Funding Cuts and Transitional Funding limitations.
  2. Integration of program funding streams between PHAC and local Health Authorities
  3. Overdose crisis affecting Vancouver and locally in Prince George

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

Follow-up:

  • Positive Living BC to compare notes on the PHAC situation.

Comments:

  • CAS leadership regarding to the recent PHAC situation and efforts to assist ASOs across the country is appreciated.

Director-at-large:

submitted by Greg Riehl.

Meetings and Outreach:

  • All Nations Hope Network, Regina SK; Business as usual, funding a concern, looking for new ways to do business.
  • CANAC planning committee, Regina SK; http://canac.org/annual-conference/
  • WAD local committee, Regina SK; Local events occurring, less than in previous years.
  • Digging Deep Research Regina SK; (Indigenous Community-based Health Research Lab): participated in Collective Consensual Data Analytic Procedure (CCDAP).

Contacts with community-based organizations:

  • ANHN: re: ANHN participating with CAS basecamp regarding LOI process.
  • SHARE (Saskatchewan HIV/AIDS Research Endeavour); possibility of doing research with SHARE in the future.

Emerging Issues:

  1. Epidemic in SK continues; letter to the Minister of Health has been sent regarding meeting with local SK HIV/HCV Nursing Education Organization.
  2. Sharing the Wisdom October 25th, 2016, Saskatoon, SK. Moderated by Greg Riehl to discuss successes and challenges in SK. HIV Current State and SK HIV Collaborative Update. Promising Practices in Saskatchewan Presentations: four pillars of focus:
    • Community Engagement and Education
    • Prevention and Harm Reduction
    • Clinical Management
    • Surveillance and Research

Opportunities / Follow-up / Resources / Challenges/ Comments

Opportunities:

  • CANAC 2017 in Regina would be a good thing to participate with.
  • Need to connect with policy committee ASAP.

PLWHIV Youth Director:

report to be submitted by Ahmed Bechir Habré

 

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