Community
ARE- Consumers take the lead
ARE: Here we are. Consumers take the lead
Time certainly has flown. It is going on five years since I have had the privilege of joining the AIDS Response Effort (ARE) team. Since that time, much has transpired. While on the surface we seem to provide many of the same services, many things have changed over the past five years, and I like to think for the better.
Like a fine wine, as we age, character is developed, and flavor is enhanced. We could have only accomplished this by building a quality program, gaining the support of many dedicated individuals, and remaining committed to the delivery of services that addressed the needs of those we have served.
ARE has been privileged to have quality staff providing the consumer identified services that we currently deliver. Here at ARE, we take the consumer’s role in service delivery very seriously. In an effort to ensure that both the staff and the program are in tune with the needs of those we serve, we regularly request that consumers participate in client experience surveys. Additionally, we have encouraged consumers to become much more active in their program delivery. Today, we celebrate the consumer’s active involvement in board representation—holding two seats on the quality management process team and chairing a Peer Advocacy program. The consumer’s role here at ARE has become very apparent and has become essential to the development of the agency as we grow. As we reach out into our community we truly are “putting a face” to those in our region living with HIV and teaching the lesson of positive integration both to those newly diagnosed and to our community at large. We are blessed to have so many knowledgeable consumers that have bravely taken the initiative to step up and speak out.
We truly have moved into the arena of consumers taking on personal responsibility for their health care, and we welcome both your in-put and willingness to take the lead.
Written By: John Nagley
Tagged AIDS Response Effort Inc, AIDS Service Organization, ARE, ARE Board, ARE Consumers, directors, HIV, HIV clients, John Nagley, Non-profit, Peer advocacy program, Winchester VA
