Tpa Network Incorporated

MISSION STATEMENT: SAVING LIVES AND EMPOWERING THOSE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND RELATED CONDITIONS.VISION STATEMENT: PROVIDE LIFESAVING CARE AND FAR-REACHING EDUCATION TO PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE WE TOUCH.VALUES: TPAN STRIVES FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY OR AT RISK FOR HIV/AIDS AND RELATED ILLNESSES TO: EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO NAVIGATE THEIR LIVES BY PROVIDING TOOLS, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT;ADAPT TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY;SUPPORT A SEX POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT BY AFFIRMING SEXUALITY AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BEING HUMAN;INCLUDE EVERYONE BY EMBRACING DIFFERENCES AND CREATING COMMUNITY;EXCEL IN DELIVERING QUALITY PROGRAMS, ADVOCACY AND ENDING STIGMA;RESPECT OTHERS THROUGH HONEST, OPEN AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION.

EDUCATION AND INFORMATION:PUBLISHED BY TPAN SINCE 1989, POSITIVE AWARE IS THE NATION'S LEADING NOT-FOR-PROFIT PUBLICATION SERVING THE HIV COMMUNITY. PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY, PA'S MISSION IS TO BE THE MOST TRUSTED COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR ACCURATE, UNBIASED, UP-TO-DATE TREATMENT INFORMATION AND RELATED NEWS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND THEIR ADVOCATES. IN ADDITION TO THE PRINT PUBLICATIONS, POSITIVE AWARE IS AVAILABLE AT POSITVELYAWARE.COM AND AS A DIGITAL EDITION.TEAM (TREATMENT EDUCATION ADHERENCE MANAGEMENT) IS A PEER-LED HIV TREATMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES THE SUPPORTS NECESSARY TO STAY ADHERENT TO A MEDICAL PROGRAM OF CARE. A DAY WITH HIV CAPTURES IN PICTURES OVER A SINGLE 24-HOUR PERIOD TO ILLUSTRATE THE POINT THAT WE ALL ARE AFFECTED BY HIV AND ITS STIGMA. EACH YEAR, ON A DAY IN SEPTEMBER, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD CAPTURE A MOMENT OF THEIR DAY AND SHARE THEIR STORY USING OUR HASHTAG #ADAYWITHHIV ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SELECT PHOTOS FROM THE CAMPAIGN ARE FEATURED IN THE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ISSUE OF POSITIVELY AWARE. THE TPAN RIDE FOR LIFE CHICAGO (THE RIDE) RAISES AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO HELP PROVIDE CARE AND SERVICES TO PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV. AS A TWO-DAY, MULTI-STATE CYCLING AND FUNDRAISING EVENT, THE RIDE ENGAGES VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES TO SHARE TPAN'S MISSION AND STORY IN THEIR OUTREACH AND SOLICITATION FOR SUPPORT.DINING OUT FOR LIFE CHICAGO IS TPAN'S EXCLUSIVELY-LICENSED EVENT PRODUCED IN CONCERT WITH INTERNATIONAL DINING OUT FOR LIFE. CHICAGO OPERATES WITH DOZENS OF DINING ESTABLISHMENTS AND INVITES VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS, HOSTS, AND THOUSANDS OF DINING PATRONS ACROSS CHICAGO TO RAISE VISIBILITY AND FUNDS FOR TPAN'S HIV-FOCUSED CARE AND SERVICES.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES:EPIC (EMPOWERING POSITIVE INNOVATIVE CHANGE) IS A GROUP INTERVENTION TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE; INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF HIV, HEPATITIS B, AND HEPATITIS C; AND PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE FOR HIV AND HEPATITIS. THE TARGET POPULATION OF THE EPIC PROGRAM INCLUDES BLACK, SAME-GENDER-LOVING MEN OR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) AGED 18-29 AND ALL MSM AGED 30 AND OVER.HOPE (HEALTHY OUTCOMES THROUGH PREVENTION AND EDUCATION) IS TPAN'S NEWEST PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS AGED 18-24. CLIENTS TAKE PART IN DISCUSSIONS ON IMPORTANT HEALTH AND WELLNESS-RELATED TOPICS, SUCH AS SPIRITUALITY, DEALING WITH STRESS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND HIV. THE TARGET POPULATION OF HOPE INCLUDES AFRICAN-AMERICAN SAMEGENDER-LOVING MEN OR MSM AND HETEROSEXUAL/BISEXUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CISGENDER WOMEN.KEEPIN' IT EPIC! IS A MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP EXCLUSIVELY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE EPIC PROGRAM. THE GROUP PROVIDES A SPACE FOR GRADUATES TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE MADE IN THE EPIC PROGRAM.

CLIENT ADVOCACY:CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ENCOURAGES CLIENTS TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR CASE MANAGERS ON THE PROVISION OF SERVICE PLANS THAT ADDRESS THEIR HEALTH GOALS. CASE MANAGERS ASSIST WITH APPLYING FOR BENEFITS, ACCESSING EMERGENCY FUNDS, IDENTIFYING MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, AND FACILITATING APPROPRIATE REFERRALS. HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AIDS FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO, HELPS INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS TO FIND AND MAINTAIN SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE RESIDENCY. OUR HOUSING SPECIALIST ASSISTS WITH HOUSING APPLICANTS AND RE-APPLICATIONS, AND WORKS WITH THEM TO CREATE GOAL-DRIVEN PLANS TO REMAIN HOUSED. RETENTION SERVICES RE-ENGAGE CLIENTS WHO HAVE FALLEN OUT OF CARE OR ARE NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING MEDICAL CARE. THE TEA ROOM, TPAN'S DROP-IN YOUTH CENTER, IS A SAFE SPACE OPEN TO YOUNG ADULTS TO CONGREGATE, GAIN ACCESS TO VITAL RESOURCES, AND BUILD A COMMUNITY WITH PEERS.