Long Beach : AIDS Emphasis to Change

To better disseminate information about AIDS, Long Beach officials are changing the emphasis of an educational project that previously relied on public presentations and workshops to fight the disease’s spread.

The city now plans to teach leaders from selected high-risk groups how to educate their peers to prevent the spread of the AIDS virus, said Ray Kincade, Long Beach preventive health services officer.

For the past three years, the AIDS Education and Prevention Project, financed by a $70,000 state grant, has provided educational lectures, discussions and meetings for hundreds of community groups, according to Rugmini Shah, the city’s health officer.

The shift this year to create “master trainers” to combat AIDS will include training leaders within minority and ethnic groups, the health care profession, as well as the gay and bisexual communities, Kincade said. The emphasis will be on teaching people how to reduce the transmission of the disease rather than general education.

The City Council on Tuesday authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with the state for the grant, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 1988. The council also authorized hiring Sunny Haberman as the project director at a fee of $20 per hour, not to exceed $42,000. Her salary will be paid by the $70,000 state grant. (See related story this page.)