Welcome to the Stark County Red Cross


Know the Facts About AIDS HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Education Read the HIV blog. Local HIV Resources. The HIV Alphabet. Positively Speaking Issue #1 NOTICE: This page may contain material that may not be appropriate for all audiences. The American Red Cross has been working to prevent HIV infection since 1985. The Red Cross developed the first national, standardized HIV/AIDS instructor course in the United States. The goal of the program is to prevent the spread of HIV by encouraging people to respond in informed ways to the risk of HIV infection, and to help people apply the facts about HIV to their own behavior.
Community Fundamentals Presentations If you are interested in scheduling a speaker there are four educational modules to choose from. There are various options under each module. Modules 1 & 2 are fact based, Modules 3 & 4 are skill based. These community presentations are free of charge.
Module 1 - Discussing HIV and AIDS Video Presentations: A variety of videos can be shown to enhance a discussion. Camp Itsamongus - acted by puppets for ages 6-11 The Party - to trigger a discussion on decision-making skills for ages 13-15 Don't Forget Sherrie - African American characters Reasons To Care - adults focus on many issues Positive - rap song about being tested In Our Own Words - Pedro Zamora (The Real World) Poster Presentations: A set of 12 posters to encourage a discussion based upon the facts. (You may preview the posters in pdf format below. Be patient they are large files.) Facts Exercise: An activity based exercise separating myth and fact based statements. Informal Contract: Participants are given a contract with information about HIV and its transmission. They are then asked to complete a checklist of the ways to reduce infection, sign it, and keep as a personal contract. Time Line: A time line based duscussion that describes what happens from the point of infection until death.	Module 2 - Facts in Focus Video Segments: Segments from the video Reasons To Care . Special Letter: A series of 3 letters that show the readers a personal and youthful look at HIV/AIDS prevention and transmission. They also deal with compassion for people living with HIV. Youth to Youth Youth to Parents Parent to Parents
Prevention Skills An American Red Cross facts exercise from mohules 1 or 2 must be facilitated before a skill based exercise from modules 3 or 4 can be facilitated. These community presentations are free of charge.
Module 3 - Understanding Risks Related to HIV Transmission Activity: In this activity, participants demonstrate with index cards how HIV can spread from person to person. Sexual transmission Transmission by needle use There is a variation to this activity that is done with string and includes a more in depth discussion. This can be done as a module 1 presentation. For more mature audiences. *Who Is At Risk?* This activity introduces participants to HIV risk assessment using short descriptions of imaginary people to help the group think about possible risks. Young adult version Adult version *Making Decisions:* This activity helps participants practice making decisions to avoid risks related to HIV. Participants become familiar with simple steps of decision-making, and steps that can be easily applied in everyday situations that may include risks of HIV infection. Young adult version Adult version	Module 4 - Prevention Skills Benefits of Deciding...To Postpone Sex or Not to Use Drugs or Alcohol: This activtiy helps participants develop prevention skills supporting decisions to postpone sex or not to use drugs or alcohol. Participants will be able to identify at least 3 benefits of postponing sex and identify 3 pesonal reasons for posponing sex. Postponing sex Not using drugs or alcohol *No Thanks Assertiveness Practice:* This activity offers practice in how to resist pressure to have sex or to use drugs or alcohol, and is done in two parts. In the first part paricipants think about how to resist pressure and how to word responses. The second part is done as a spontaneous conversation. Postponing sex Not using drugs or alcohol Structured role-play Unstructured role-play *Prevention Talk:* This role-play gives participants practice encouraging condom use as a prevention strategy to use if they should decide to have sex. Structured role-play Unstructured role-play *Card Lineup:* This activity allows participants to arrange cards in the correct steps to accomplish a prevention skill. How to use a latex condom How to clean injection-drug equipment with bleach *Condom Demonstration and Practice:* Participants will be able to describe correct latex condom use as well as being able to put them on and take them off correctly. Instructor led demonstration Video based demonstration Practice using hands or an anatomical model *Why Are We Talking Condoms?* A review for participants to understand that not all items used for birth contol are effective for disease prevention.