• Programs Overview
  • Alcohol & Drug Programs
  • Women's Programs
  • Adolescent Programs
  • AIDS/HIV Awareness
  • Gambling Programs
  • Dual Recovery Programs
  • Clinical Trials Network
• FAQs
• Confidentiality
• Fees

AIDS/HIV Awareness

HIV/AIDS prevention provides the Double Jeopardy Project using recovering substance abusers trained in HIV prevention to provide peer education to alcoholics and addicts in treatment programs in Lexington and Richland Counties. Participants receive information on relapse prevention and learn skills to prevent them from remaining at risk for contracting the HIV virus. The presentations dispel the myths of how HIV is transmitted and gives factual information about the disease and how to avoid contracting it. Presentations are often made on Hepatitis C (HCV) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Presentations are also available to community groups, churches and other institutions in the area. LRADAC staff members are available to train professionals and other members of the community.

LRADAC collaborates with other agencies and organizations on World AIDS Day, National Testing Day, the statewide South Carolina HIV/STD Conference, DHEC, DAODAS and the Midlands HIV Prevention Collaboration.

Peer educator outreach is the main focus of this project. It is often difficult, if not impossible, to reach substance abusers while they are using. One approach that does work well is to bring prevention information to them while they are in a detoxification facility, an in-patient or out-patient treatment program or other group setting for those with substance abuse problems. These clients often have very short attention spans due to the detoxification process and/or medications they may be taking. They may also be dealing with many changes in their lives that make it difficult to concentrate on technical, medical language and presenters who lecture to them. The majority of alcoholics and addicts have major issues with trust when they are newly clean and sober. For this reason the project uses recovering substance abusers who are active in recovery and trained in making HIV prevention presentations that actively involve the participants and are extremely honest and non-judgmental.

AIDS/HIV Treatment

LRADAC has a memorandum of agreement with the Palmetto Health District and is a member organization of the Midlands Care Consortium. All clients are offered free testing for HIV and other STDs. There is a specialized HIV Counselor who provides assessment, brief therapy and referral services at the Midlands Care Consortium Clinic to men and women living with HIV/AIDS who have had a past or present problem with alcohol and drugs, or who are at risk for developing an addiction disorder. The counselor provides referrals to inpatient and outpatient treatment programs as well as providing individual counseling. Call (803) 212-1773 for information and assistance.

Adolescent STDs/HIV/AIDS Prevention

 

Because drug use can lead to the spread of HIV infections, LRADAC is committed to providing a variety of HIV services as a key part of its overall substance abuse prevention, intervention and treatment program.  

 

One very important part of those services is the adolescent STDs/HIV/AIDS Prevention Program.  Many young people who engage in sex do not use protection because they want to believe their partner is faithful and uninfected, so it is important to teach them how to acquire the self-confidence and skills they need to allow them to say no to a sexual invitation or to carry out safer-sex practices if they do choose to engage in sexual behavior.

 

Our adolescent STDs/HIV/AIDS prevention program, modeled after the evidence-based BART program (Becoming A Responsible Teen),  is a risk reduction program that provides youth with information, assists them in identifying risky sexual practices and  assists them in correcting misperceptions that create a false sense of safety.  In order for youth to refrain from sexual activity or to practice safer sex, they must know their personal values and have the skills and ability to act on those values.  They need to be able to communicate openly and honestly about sex and protection.    They also need the motivation and belief that they can be successful in acting in their own best interests.

 

The most effective message we can teach adolescents about their health is that they have the ability to make good choices and that their success requires persistence.   Our adolescent program has four components which include

• providing accurate information,
• skill building to use the information in their actions,
• opportunities to practice new skills and receive corrective feedback, and
• social support to normalize the desired behaviors.

The adolescent STDs/HIV prevention program consists of  three  two-hour group level sessions.   The sessions are led by peer educators and include role plays, activities, videos, handouts and interactive discussions.   Before the program, parents are notified of the program content and will be given the option to review the materials and excuse their child from instruction.   Arrangements are made so that males and females are taught separately.

 

The program emphasizes the message that HIV is 100% preventable through abstinence.   That is, the only way to truly be safe from contracting STDs/HIV is to abstain from any type of sex and any type of drug use (not just injection drugs).