NOBCO, NACo launch HIV outreach effort

The National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO) and NACo are partnering to promote HIV education and outreach.  NOBCO was awarded funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to engage in the CDC initiative, Partnering and Communicating Together, or PACT.

With this funding, the CDC seeks to increase HIV awareness among the general public, and more specifically those most vulnerable, to reduce new HIV infections among disproportionately impacted populations. 

“Improving health outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS in the United States and its territories is a reachable goal,” said Helen Holton, NOBCO executive director. “This is a five-year opportunity that began in October 2015.  Partnering with the CDC and NACo is a win-win for counties across America. In the first year, we have focused our attention in some of the hardest hit areas including Washington, D.C.; Alameda County, Calif; CookCounty, Ill.; and Baltimore City, Md.”

According to Holton, the program launched by NOBCO will dedicate time and effort to ensure that the goals of the CDC’s PACT funding opportunity are met.  “Our program is Project SPACE (Strategic Partnerships And Community Engagement), an integrated collaborative community-driven communication and mobilization effort to support the dissemination of information through education, HIV campaign materials, social media messaging and other resources,” Holton added. 

“Over the next few years we look forward to strengthening the health of our counties through this partnership while sharing life-saving and life-transforming news and information.”

To learn more about Project SPACE and the work NOBCO is engaged visit NOBCO’s website: http://nobco.org.