Western Colorado Aids Project


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	About WestCAP Mission WestCAP (Western Colorado AIDS Project) is a community-based referral, advocacy, and service provider offering non-judgmental, confidential, and compassionate assistance to HIV-affected persons, families, and loved ones. WestCAP also promotes prevention and education about HIV and AIDS to the people of Western Colorado. Click here for a map of our service area. Philosophy It is WestCAP’s philosophy to promote the client’s choices, self-growth, and independence. In creating a caring community for people affected by HIV/AIDS, WestCAP Respects cultural, religious, and ideological diversity Respects the individual’s right of confidentiality Provides an environment which is both drug and smoke free	Upcoming HIV Specialty Care Clinics 2008 Clinic dates: Grand Junction Clinics June 25 July 9 July 30 Sept 3 Group Medical Visit Sept 10 Sept 17 Durango Clinics Sept 12 Summit Clinic July 2 Grand Junction Clinics are held at the St. Mary's Family Practice; Durango Clinics are held at the San Juan Basin Health Department and the Summit Community Care Clinic HIV Testing 4th Monday & 2nd Friday of each month at WestCAP. Coupons available to Marillac patients for free HIV testing at the WestCAP office.

Special thanks to: The Gill Foundation The Telluride Aids Benefit Please visit: Marillac Clinic

WestCAP was formed in 1985 in response to the need for testing, education and support for people and their families living in western Colorado with HIV disease. In 1989, WestCAP became incorporated as a 501 (c) (3), and in 1991, WestCAP received their first funding from the Ryan White CARE Act. In 1994, WestCAP was chosen as the lead agency for Western Colorado AIDS CARE Consortium (WCACC) and has served as such since that time.

The WCACC is made up of Persons Living With HIV (PLWH), service providers, collaborators and interested parties from all across the western slope of Colorado. In 2000, the WCACC was awarded Ryan White Title III dollars to provide HIV specialty care in Western Colorado. Until that time, PLWH living on the western slope traveled to University Hospital in Denver to receive HIV specialty care. Now, HIV specialists travel to Grand Junction on the western slope for clinics twice per month and, quarterly, they travel to Durango to support the HIV care provided by an internal medicine physician there. The access to HIV specialty care has greatly improved the quality of care and life for PLWH in western Colorado. This model for service delivery in a rural area has received national recognition and was presented as a model to be replicated at the international conference on HIV in Barcelona, Spain, in 2003.

WestCAP serves HIV positive people and their families in 22 counties, approximately a 40,000 square mile region. In order to increase accessibility, WestCAP has developed partnerships with a variety of service providers across the region in order to get people into care.

In addition to meeting the care and treatment needs of people in Western Colorado living with HIV disease, WestCAP has made a commitment to education and information distribution across the region. Educational programs are specially designed and presented to groups based on their needs: school groups, injection drug/alcohol recovery programs, staff at long-term care facilities, service clubs, families of PLWH and other interested and/or concerned groups. If your group is interested in learning more about HIV disease, please contact our prevention education staff to schedule a presentation.

In an effort to get people into care as soon as possible, thereby preserving their best possible health status, and to support behavior change in people who are not yet infected with HIV disease, WestCAP has begun offering HIV testing. Currently, WestCAP offers a discounted testing rate of $25 the second Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the WestCAP office. If an individual wishes to schedule testing on a day other than our Discount Day, the test cost is $100. All testing costs must be paid in cash or money order, no checks. There is no special preparation such as fasting required for HIV testing. Generally speaking, WestCAP is offering rapid HIV testing and a trained testing professional will deliver the client’s test results within an hour. The rapid test is performed using a drop of blood from a finger stick.

WestCap is a member of the Mesa County Human Services Council.