Press Releases: National

October 25, 2011

Contact: Laura Dunn, 510-267-2818

Kaiser Permanente Recognizes Organizations for Work on HIV/AIDS at 34th Annual National Diversity Conference

Conference Theme is “Diversity Excellence: Inspiring Innovation, Igniting Transformation”

SAN FRANCISCO — Kaiser Permanente has awarded its 2011 HIV/AIDS Diversity Awards for outstanding HIV/AIDS prevention and care to three organizations: Christie’s Place, San Diego; Shanti, San Francisco; and Metro TeenAIDS, Washington, D.C. The awards will be presented on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Kaiser Permanente’s 34th annual National Diversity Conference.

The Kaiser Permanente HIV/AIDS Diversity Awards recognize individuals or organizations for outstanding achievement in HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Recipients have developed innovative, effective and replicable practices that have reduced rates of HIV/AIDS infection as well as disparities in HIV/AIDS incidence and care. Each winner receives a $10,000 grant.

“This year’s recipients have taken on some of the HIV/AIDS epidemic’s most difficult challenges with extraordinary creativity, resourcefulness and courage,” said Michael Horberg, MD, MAS, FACP, FIDSA, director of HIV/AIDS for Kaiser Permanente. “They are winning the fight against this debilitating syndrome, sometimes just one patient or one infection at a time, but their efforts are successfully impacting their communities.”

About the Winners

Christie’s Place’s CHANGE for Women project develops scalable, replicable care models that improve timely entry, access and retention in HIV care for low-income women of color. Its centerpiece is its Center of Excellence in Women’s HIV Care. San Diego-based Christie’s Place is a leading nonprofit organization that provides HIV/AIDS education, social services, advocacy and basic needs assistance to women, children and families. Established in 1996, Christie’s Place is the only organization in San Diego dedicated to serving women, children and families infected with, and affected by, HIV/AIDS.

Shanti was recognized for addressing disparities in HIV/AIDS incidence and care through three comprehensive services: Care Navigation and Volunteer, which use trained volunteers to provide emotional and practical support, and the L.I.F.E. Program®, an HIV self-management program. Founded in 1974 by Charles Garfield, MD, San Francisco-based Shanti has been at the forefront of a growing national movement to enhance the quality of life for persons living with life-threatening or chronic illnesses by providing volunteer-based emotional and practical support. Dr. Garfield has no relation to Kaiser Permanente’s co-founder, Sidney R. Garfield, MD.

Metro TeenAIDS is Washington, D.C.’s only organization focused solely on young people’s unique HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and treatment needs. In 2010 it reached 35,000 young people with HIV/STI prevention and treatment information. Metro TeenAIDS is a community health organization dedicated to supporting young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS through education, support, and advocacy. It works to prevent the spread of HIV, promote responsible decision-making, and improve the quality of life for young people infected with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS.

About Kaiser Permanente’s National Diversity Conference

Kaiser Permanente’s National Diversity Conference is an educational forum drawing hundreds of employees, physicians, senior executives and governance leaders from across the organization. It attracts some of the nation's foremost experts in linguistic services and care access, culturally competent care, diversity research, workforce and supplier diversity and other leading-edge diversity disciplines.

“Kaiser Permanente’s annual conference is a time to recognize the past year’s accomplishments, but more important to redouble our efforts to address the diversity challenges faced by our employees, physicians and members,” said Raymond J. Baxter, Kaiser Permanente’s senior vice president of Community Benefit, Research and Healthy Policy. “Our goal is to achieve the best health outcomes for our members and communities so it’s imperative we know how to meet the needs of all of our members and employees. We’re proud to have assembled some of the nation’s best thinkers on this topic.”

Media Registration

Free registration for Kaiser Permanente’s National Diversity conference is open to credentialed journalists working for media companies (e.g., news editors, reporters, magazine writers, etc.) and also to bloggers. Permission in advance is required for news cameras and radio broadcasts onsite during the conference, but in-studio interviews may be arranged. Recording all or any part of the conference without prior approval from Kaiser Permanente is prohibited.

Journalists may contact: Laura Dunn at laura.c.dunn@kp.org or 510-414-9245.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.8 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.