j----_. - New York Civil Liberties Union

Mahopac 484
Teacher Notes on Lesson 35
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Background In Lesson #34, students dealt with family responsibilities for persons
with AIDS. This lesson confirms the present AIDS-related community
resources and helps -students to project what resources may
be necessary in the coming years to meet the needs of increasing
numbers of persons with AIDS. You'll £ind some of this data
in the Appendix section on "Current Information on AIDS,"
but you will probably want to call the toll-free information
number, 1-800-342-AIDS, or the New York State AIDS hotline number
1-800-541 AIDS, to get the latest figures. This information is also
available through your local library or county health department.
This lesson provides a unique opportunity for students to watch a
community respond to a crisis from the beginning, to identify community
policymakers, to recognize the actions they are taking, and
to participate in this process, as most communities are just beginning
to recognize the size and implications of the AIDS epidemic.
You will want to remind your students that, at this time, once a person
is infected with the AIDS virus, there are a variety of health and ( ..-..)
health-related services that may be needed.
The community has a responsibility to help the person with AIDS
and his/her family to provide for their:
• physical needs and concerns
• emotional needs and concerns
• family needs and concerns.
The community has a responsibility to its members. It can provide
this by having:
• accurate sources of information available in the community
• voluntary testing programs
• counseling services
• substance abuse treatment programs
• hospital/medical treatment services
• self-help groups
• social service supports
• mental health services.
Clearly there is no one "community" that can provide all of these
services. Students will need to consider how each AIDS-related
community resource fulfills a responsibility, where there are omissions,
where there are overlaps, and what still remains to be done.
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