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WNCAP was established in 1986, marking 20 years of service in
2006.
WNCAP provides Case Management services to over 300 individuals
annually, in 12 Counties of Western North Carolina. Case
Management refers to the coordination of services and supports
for clients medical care, substance abuse services,
transportation, housing and/or financial assistance, for
example.
WNCAP reaches an estimated 15,000 residents through its
Prevention and Education programs on an annual basis, serving 17
Counties in Western North Carolina. Prevention programming
includes one-on-one outreach to high-risk individuals,
group-level interventions for vulnerable populations, and
community-wide events such as the AIDS Walk and National HIV
Testing Day. Group level-interventions can include anything from
classes for youth in school or community settings to
presentations in places like substance abuse treatment centers,
domestic abuse shelters, or prisons. Last year the two
prevention educators made around 75 basic HIV 101
presentations to groups in the region.
One of the most successful group-level interventions is the
Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS (SISTA) program.
SISTA was developed by African American women for African
American women and is promoted by the CDC as one of the
best-evidence behavioral interventions for preventing the spread
of HIV/AIDS. Around 100 women in the Asheville area have
completed the program since it was implemented here in 2005.
HIV/AIDS issues in the United States have been less in the
public eye due to the advances in medical care, however rates of
infection are increasing, and life on HIV meds is compromised,
requiring many additional supports.
WNCAP is the only regional agency in Western North Carolina with
comprehensive HIV prevention education in its mission.
WNCAP has collaborative relationships with Western North
Carolina Community Health Services (WNCCHS); Western North
Carolina HIV/AIDS Consortium; Buncombe County Health Department;
Asheville Infectious Disease Consultants.
In addition to Ron Curran, the Executive Director, there are 5
Case Managers and a Case Management Supervisor on staff, three
Health Educators, a part-time Volunteer Coordinator, part-time
Development Director and part-time Office Manager. There are
approximately 200 volunteers working for the agency in 17
counties of Western North Carolina.
WNCAP is currently located in an old house on Orchard Street. A
new building has been purchased on Fairview Road in Oakley,
which will offer more space for staff, classroom/meeting space,
and a Client Resource Center with laundry facilities.
Dining Out For Life one of two major WNCAP special events is
always held the 4th Thursday of April (April 24th this year).
Volunteer Ambassadors host at each of about 100 participating
restaurants the day of the event, both to help fill the
restaurant with friends and family and also to share information
about WNCAP with anyone who eats out that day.
The second major special event the Raise Your Hand dinner and
auction is typically held the last weekend of October or first
weekend of November. The emphasis of the auction is art and
travel.
The best estimate we have of the number of people living with
HIV in Western North Carolina is around 1,000. That includes 740
documented cases of HIV/AIDS plus 260 others who are presumed to
be living with HIV but dont know it, based on CDC estimation
techniques. There are likely others who tested positive in other
states but live here now and are not in the system because they
are not in need of services.
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