Abner Leads Test for Life Townhall Meetings
The goal of the Test for Life campaign was to bring together individuals, AIDS activist, AIDS organizations, companies,
elected officials, the medical community, church groups and others to educate the public about the importance of HIV
testing, and the need for testing to become a part of routine medical care in the U.S.
In 2006, through a series of Townhall meetings held across the United States and moderated by Abner Mason, key
stake-holders were brought together to develop strategies to implement newly released Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) recommendations on HIV testing. The Test for Life campaign was sponsored by the National Minority Quality Forum
(www.NMQF.org).
The CDC Estimates that there are 1.1 million individuals in the U.S. living with HIV. Of these individuals, over 252,000 are
unaware that they are infected with the disease. Additionally, almost half of the new HIV infections are caused by the
individuals who are not ware of their status.
The new CDC guidelines are design to make HIV testing a part of routine medical care in the U.S., but to successfully
implement the recommendations, most states will have to pass new laws and issue new regulations. In addition, the
medical community will need to be educated about the new recommendations and encouraged to implement them.
Test for Life Townhall Meetings were moderated by Abner Mason and held in the following cities.
Iowa City, Iowa
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nashville, Tennessee
Atlanta, Georgia
Houston, Texas
Sacramento, California
Columbus, Ohio
This campaign was successful because we were able to take a clear message requiring action to influential groups across
the country. By taking our message "on the road", instead of waiting for people to come to us, we were able to reach key
decision makers and opinion leaders we would other-wise have had difficulty reaching.
The goal of the Test for Life campaign was to bring together individuals, AIDS activist, AIDS organizations, companies,
elected officials, the medical community, church groups and others to educate the public about the importance of HIV
testing, and the need for testing to become a part of routine medical care in the U.S.
In 2006, through a series of Townhall meetings held across the United States and moderated by Abner Mason, key
stake-holders were brought together to develop strategies to implement newly released Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) recommendations on HIV testing. The Test for Life campaign was sponsored by the National Minority Quality Forum
(www.NMQF.org).
The CDC Estimates that there are 1.1 million individuals in the U.S. living with HIV. Of these individuals, over 252,000 are
unaware that they are infected with the disease. Additionally, almost half of the new HIV infections are caused by the
individuals who are not ware of their status.
The new CDC guidelines are design to make HIV testing a part of routine medical care in the U.S., but to successfully
implement the recommendations, most states will have to pass new laws and issue new regulations. In addition, the
medical community will need to be educated about the new recommendations and encouraged to implement them.
Test for Life Townhall Meetings were moderated by Abner Mason and held in the following cities.
Iowa City, Iowa
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nashville, Tennessee
Atlanta, Georgia
Houston, Texas
Sacramento, California
Columbus, Ohio
This campaign was successful because we were able to take a clear message requiring action to influential groups across
the country. By taking our message "on the road", instead of waiting for people to come to us, we were able to reach key
decision makers and opinion leaders we would other-wise have had difficulty reaching.
Abner Mason moderating
Nashville, Tennessee Test for
Life Townhall Meeting on HIV
Testing. The Nashville Townhall
was held on the campus of
Meharry Medical College.
Nashville, Tennessee Test for
Life Townhall Meeting on HIV
Testing. The Nashville Townhall
was held on the campus of
Meharry Medical College.
Abner Mason delivering opening
remarks at the Columbus, Ohio
Test for Life Townhall Meeting.
The Ohio Townhall was held on
World AIDS Day, December 1,
2006 in the Great Hall of the Ohio
State Capital Building.
remarks at the Columbus, Ohio
Test for Life Townhall Meeting.
The Ohio Townhall was held on
World AIDS Day, December 1,
2006 in the Great Hall of the Ohio
State Capital Building.
Abner Mason with panelist at the
Nashville, Tennessee Test for Life
Townhall Meeting. Seated beside
Abner is Rev. Edwin Sanders,
Senior Minister of the
Metropolitan Interdenominational
Church and Executive Director of
the First Response Center.
Nashville, Tennessee Test for Life
Townhall Meeting. Seated beside
Abner is Rev. Edwin Sanders,
Senior Minister of the
Metropolitan Interdenominational
Church and Executive Director of
the First Response Center.
The Daily Iowan
Officials promote HIV tests
Olivia Moran - The Daily Iowan - Posted: 10/31/06
Who should be tested for HIV?
Test for Life, a national campaign to encourage routine HIV testing, hosted a panel discussion Monday at the IMU to examine
that question. The problem is especially pertinent in the Iowa City area - Johnson County has the third-highest incidence of HIV
in Iowa, said Jeffery Meier, a UI associate professor of internal medicine. Polk and Scott Counties are rated No. 1 and 2 in the
state, he said.
The symposium comes on the heels of a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that more
Americans be tested for the deadly virus.
The event's panel consisted of Abner Mason, the executive director of the AIDS Responsibility Project in Los Angeles, Polly
Meagher, the executive director of the AIDS Project in the Quad Cities, and Meier, who is also the director of the Iowa Midwest
AIDS Training and Education Center. Fighting the spread of AIDS proved to be the common theme among panelists.
"If we don't address this, in 10 years, there won't be somebody who doesn't know or love someone with HIV," Meagher said.
The CDC recommends that all people between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV, but implementing such a
proposal brings about complications, panel members said. Funding, for example, is one detail that would need to be examined
further.
Mason, a supporter of the new CDC guidelines, said current recommendations may eventually require changes to both funding
and HIV treatment. But he does view the adjustments in a positive light.
"The change in philosophy is the beginning of an effort," he said. "It's an important step."
Treating HIV with prescription drugs is one old method that will not continue to work for long, he said. The virus eventually
mutates, emphasizing that "drugs that work today won't work tomorrow" and that as people develop immunity to the medications,
resistance will become a major problem.
Officials promote HIV tests
Olivia Moran - The Daily Iowan - Posted: 10/31/06
Who should be tested for HIV?
Test for Life, a national campaign to encourage routine HIV testing, hosted a panel discussion Monday at the IMU to examine
that question. The problem is especially pertinent in the Iowa City area - Johnson County has the third-highest incidence of HIV
in Iowa, said Jeffery Meier, a UI associate professor of internal medicine. Polk and Scott Counties are rated No. 1 and 2 in the
state, he said.
The symposium comes on the heels of a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that more
Americans be tested for the deadly virus.
The event's panel consisted of Abner Mason, the executive director of the AIDS Responsibility Project in Los Angeles, Polly
Meagher, the executive director of the AIDS Project in the Quad Cities, and Meier, who is also the director of the Iowa Midwest
AIDS Training and Education Center. Fighting the spread of AIDS proved to be the common theme among panelists.
"If we don't address this, in 10 years, there won't be somebody who doesn't know or love someone with HIV," Meagher said.
The CDC recommends that all people between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV, but implementing such a
proposal brings about complications, panel members said. Funding, for example, is one detail that would need to be examined
further.
Mason, a supporter of the new CDC guidelines, said current recommendations may eventually require changes to both funding
and HIV treatment. But he does view the adjustments in a positive light.
"The change in philosophy is the beginning of an effort," he said. "It's an important step."
Treating HIV with prescription drugs is one old method that will not continue to work for long, he said. The virus eventually
mutates, emphasizing that "drugs that work today won't work tomorrow" and that as people develop immunity to the medications,
resistance will become a major problem.
Meier said one reason people may opt out of testing is fear of discrimination if they are found to have HIV, a concern federal
anti-discrimination laws have mitigated, though not squelched.
Some factors of the new CDC guidelines, such as how to define informed consent for the HIV test and whether people with a
high risk of HIV should be the only group tested, are still being debated.
HIV/AIDS will assuredly be positioned in the spotlight on Dec. 1, which marks the 25th anniversary of when the virus and
subsequent disease was first recognized by scientists.
Meier said HIV is present on the UI campus. He added that these days, there is a risk of acquiring a strand of HIV that is resistant
to some of the standard anti-viral drugs.
"Because new infections of college-age persons continue to occur as much as ever, we have to be concerned," he said.
E-mail DI reporter Olivia Moran at:
olivia-moran@uiowa.edu
anti-discrimination laws have mitigated, though not squelched.
Some factors of the new CDC guidelines, such as how to define informed consent for the HIV test and whether people with a
high risk of HIV should be the only group tested, are still being debated.
HIV/AIDS will assuredly be positioned in the spotlight on Dec. 1, which marks the 25th anniversary of when the virus and
subsequent disease was first recognized by scientists.
Meier said HIV is present on the UI campus. He added that these days, there is a risk of acquiring a strand of HIV that is resistant
to some of the standard anti-viral drugs.
"Because new infections of college-age persons continue to occur as much as ever, we have to be concerned," he said.
E-mail DI reporter Olivia Moran at:
olivia-moran@uiowa.edu
Central Valley News
Serving Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, and all of the Central Valley of
California
Defining a New Strategy to Combat HIV/AIDS in Minority
Communities
by Travis Blaschek-Miller
Wednesday Jan 31st, 2007 4:28 PM
AIDS activists gather for town hall discussion on HIV testing,
prevention and care strategies
Local civic leaders and community organizations gathered last
Wednesday to encourage HIV testing and to develop a local strategy for
a national pandemic that’s effecting thousand of local residents,
especially those in the minority community.
The town hall style event at the Oak Park Community Center was part of
the National Minority Health Month Foundation’s nation-wide “Test for
Life” campaign.
“Our goal is to educate individuals on the importance of HIV testing,” said
Abner Mason, founder and director of the AIDS Responsibility Project,
who represented NMHMF at the event. “HIV testing is critical in preventing
the spread of the disease and must become a part of routine medical
care.”
Serving Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, and all of the Central Valley of
California
Defining a New Strategy to Combat HIV/AIDS in Minority
Communities
by Travis Blaschek-Miller
Wednesday Jan 31st, 2007 4:28 PM
AIDS activists gather for town hall discussion on HIV testing,
prevention and care strategies
Local civic leaders and community organizations gathered last
Wednesday to encourage HIV testing and to develop a local strategy for
a national pandemic that’s effecting thousand of local residents,
especially those in the minority community.
The town hall style event at the Oak Park Community Center was part of
the National Minority Health Month Foundation’s nation-wide “Test for
Life” campaign.
“Our goal is to educate individuals on the importance of HIV testing,” said
Abner Mason, founder and director of the AIDS Responsibility Project,
who represented NMHMF at the event. “HIV testing is critical in preventing
the spread of the disease and must become a part of routine medical
care.”
More than 100 people crowded the community room to listen to a panel of local speakers discuss strategies to lower the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among African American and
Hispanic American men and women.
“AIDS is a serious issue in California , especially in our minority communities,” said Betty Williams, President, NAACP, Sacramento Branch. “According to the CDC,
approximately 28,000 Californians are infected with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, African Americans account for approximately 20 percent of new AIDS cases in the state and
Hispanics account for over 33 percent of new AIDS cases.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 1.1 million individuals in the U.S. living with HIV. Of these individuals, over 252,000 are
unaware that they are infected with the disease. Additionally, almost half of all new HIV infections are caused by the individuals who are not aware of their status.
“Testing is the only way individuals will know their status,” continued Mason. “Too many Americans are unaware of their HIV infection and are unknowingly spreading the
disease.
During a press conference prior to the town hall, elected officials shared similar concerns with the organizers. They also echoed the importance of communicating a new
strategy to help combat the spread of the virus.
“We hope that this town hall will encourage individuals to have routine HIV tests, seek the needed medical care and ultimately help in preventing the spread of this disease,”
concluded Mason.
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| Abner Mason with panelist at the Sacramento, California Test for Life Townhall Meeting. As a result of this Townhall Hall a coalition was formed which helped to build support in the state legislature for a new law on HIV testing in California. |
Abner Mason Founder & CEO, Corporate Responsibility Partners, LLC
"workplace wellness strategy for emerging markets"
"workplace wellness strategy for emerging markets"