The Red Cross has been working hard to help prevent HIV infection since the mid-1980s, and in 1988, formed a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to bring HIV/AIDS prevention education to local communities. Since then, the Red Cross has developed four HIV/AIDS education programs and a wide range of educational materials.

According to the Nebraska Department of Health, 811 Nebraskans are known to have been infected with the HIV virus--more than 498 have lost their lives to the disease. As a humanitarian organization, the Red Cross teaches people how to prevent HIV and also works to increase understanding of the realities facing those who are living with the disease. Last year, 43 people in our community were trained as HIV/AIDS education instructors and instructor trainers.

HIV/AIDS education programs reached more than 18,000 people in our community through educational courses, presentations and materials. The programs are targeted to youth and families, African-Americans, Hispanics, the workplace and the general public.

Instructors in the four education programs include Red Cross paid and volunteer staff and representatives of other community-based organizations and agencies. Nationally-standardized resource materials support all four programs, which include:

Basic HIV/AIDS Program: Designed for general community audiences, including youth. Builds on facts about HIV and AIDS and encourages participants to apply the facts to their own behavior.

African American Program: This culturally specific program gives African Americans, particularly youth, sound, reality-based information about HIV and AIDS to enhance decision-making skills and support an increase in self-protective behaviors. The instructor training includes all skills in the Basic HIV/AIDS training in addition to culturally specific components.

Hispanic American Program: Uses culturally specific teaching strategies to reach Hispanic populations in the United States with HIV/AIDS prevention messages. The program was conceived and written in Spanish and then translated into English. The instructor training includes all skills in the Basic HIV/AIDS training in addition to culturally specific components.

Workplace Program: Builds on the Basic HIV/AIDS program, flexible in meeting the needs of businesses and includes information on legal issues as well as HIV/AIDS prevention information. To be eligible for workplace training, instructors must hold a current certificate in one of the community HIV/AIDS programs and be certified in Standard First Aid.

For more information on American Red Cross Heartland Chapter HIV/AIDS education programs available in Douglas, Sarpy and Cass counties, call (402) 343-7733.