On Saturday, February 28, community members were tested for HIV by the Multicultural AIDS Coalition (MAC) at The Baker Center for Children and Families’ “Breaking Through Stigma” community health fair, which sought to destigmatize HIV/AIDS and increase access to care through health education, community dialogue, and connection. It took place at The Baker Center’s Mission Hill office at 53 Parker Hill Ave.
The fair comes as part of a broader public awareness campaign around HIV and AIDS, made possible by a $75,000 grant from The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) to The Baker Center, an organization championing mental health for children and families through evidence-based treatment, training, and advocacy. The Baker Center partnered with Myrtle Baptist Church and the Multicultural AIDS Coalition to raise awareness and educate community members around HIV and AIDS, dispel myths, promote resources available for prevention and treatment, and mitigate the mental health challenges linked to stigma around these conditions.
The initiative featured three key activations, including community health dialogues, a public awareness campaign disseminated via social media, and a health fair at The Baker Center’s office in Mission Hill. As over 20,000 individuals are estimated to be living with HIV throughout Metro Boston, the program leveraged trusted community organizations to empower individuals with accurate information, connect them to foundational resources, and build a culture of understanding and acceptance.
“HIV impacts thousands of our neighbors in Boston and across the state, and stigma often extends a medical diagnosis into profound mental health challenges,” said Bob Franks, president and CEO at The Baker Center for Children and Families. “Thankfully, the Boston Public Health Commission understands the interconnected challenges of this condition and the urgency of addressing both physical and mental wellbeing. Thanks to these funds, we tapped the networks and resources of trusted, community-facing organizations to facilitate essential conversations, educate our neighbors on the realities of HIV and AIDS, promote prevention, and create space for those living with it to feel supported and understood.”
The program was funded through BPHC’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which seeks to connect those living with HIV to essential medical care and supportive services including case management, health education, mental health support, medical nutrition therapy and m“Ending the HIV epidemic requires more than responsive medical care – it demands education, community engagement, robust prevention efforts, and dismantling deep-rooted stigma,” said Tegan Evans, Interim Bureau Director at the Infectious Disease Bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission. “This partnership brought together trusted voices to represent the full continuum of support for HIV, from prevention to treatment, destigmatization to mental health care. By fostering dialogue, sharing accurate information, and connecting our neighbors to vital prevention and treatment resources, we’re working together to build a destigmatized future where people know exactly where to turn for support.”
The Baker Center worked alongside Myrtle Baptist Church – an affirming, West Newton-based church that welcomes and celebrates congregants of any economic status, race, color, sexual orientation, ability, gender identity, political persuasion, or gender expression – to identify and train key community members to facilitate community dialogues. These facilitators, or “Community Champions,” underwent two days of training to lead conversations in their communities, seeking to cultivate support, conversation and understanding among those living with HIV and their neighbors.
The partnership also featured a months-long awareness campaign disseminated via the organizations’ social media channels. A series of educational posts sought to confront stigma and shame associated with the condition and mitigate their negative impacts on mental health. Posts countered misinformation and promoted understanding of the realities of these conditions – such as the fact that those being treated for HIV and maintaining an undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners – as well as the resources available to prevent or live a healthy life with the condition.
The campaign culminated in the health fair, where the Multicultural AIDS Coalition offered both HIV testing and linkage services to attendees, and trusted community organizations tabled to offer resources, guidance, and education around HIV/AIDS. The speaking program featured leadership from The Boston Public Health Commission and The Baker Center, as well as Miss Massachusetts Khailah Griffin, addressing HIV and AIDS through the lens of health equity and mental health. The event also included a panel featuring those with lived experience and advocates sharing their stories and a live performance from Living Water celebrating resilience and joy.
The Baker Center for Children and Families is a nationally recognized mental health organization dedicated to improving the quality of mental health care for children (ages 2-22), families, and caregivers. Originally named Judge Baker Children’s Center, in honor of Harvey Humphrey Baker, the first judge appointed to the Boston Juvenile Court, the Center opened in 1917 and serves children and families of Greater Boston and the MetroWest region.
The Baker Center is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by bridging the gap between science and practice to improve access to the highest quality care in community-based settings. Their life-changing mental health and special education programs include Center for Effective Therapy (CET), Manville School, Camp Baker, and Next Step: College Success & Independent Living.
To learn more about The Baker Center, visit http://www.bakercenter.org/.