EOCIL: Serving People Living With HIV/AIDS in Eastern Oregon

The Blanche Fischer Foundation (BFF) has provided ongoing technical and grant support to the Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) over the past three years. These dollars have assisted the center in the development, implementation and evaluation of the center's HIV/AIDS outreach project. The grants enabled the center to purchase project equipment, a vehicle for travel throughout the 36,000-plus-square-mile service area, and to cover other costs associated with this project until a stable funding source could be obtained.

This rewarding partnership resulted in EOCIL's being recognized by the Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living (APRIL) and RTC: IL University of Kansas with a 2002 Best CIL Practices in Rural Independent Living for Emerging Groups for EOCIL's providing exceptional outreach to the underserved HIV/AIDS disability group.

On October 6, 2002, EOCIL's Executive Director W. Kirt Toombs presented information about the center's HIV/AIDS outreach project and how other centers can implement a similar program to APRIL members at the national organization's annual conference in Nashua, New Hampshire. Kirt began his talk with an overview of EOCIL program information, the HIV/AIDS Case Management Outreach Project, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource Emergency Act, a definition of case management, examples of case management linkage, and an outline on how other centers can develop a process for HIV/AIDS case management outreach.

The center's mission for presenting this information to the APRIL membership was to emphasize that centers for independent living are the most appropriate entity to provide support services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The medical model being used across the United States by county health departments is not disability peer-based and able to dedicate the appropriate amount of staff time to effectively render these support services. Kirt unreservedly shared that it is time for a change to a HIV/AIDS service delivery system through ILCs and that it is time for consumers living with HIV/AIDS to be empowered to make the decisions that affect their lives.

Kirt shared with APRIL and RTC staff that their organizations would be great partners to assist with this systems change and that this may be accomplished by contacting the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to explore the possibility of APRIL/RTC obtaining a pilot Independent Living Services/Real Choice Systems Change grant under the agency's Special Project of National Significance as defined by Title IV (section 2691) of the Care Act.

The conference ended with a ceremony and banquet to honor all APRIL special award recipients. In attendance from Oregon were John Dziennik, executive director of the Blanche Fischer Foundation, and his wife, Jean Shepherd, BFF secretary. The foundation also made it possible for Kirt's family to travel to Nashua to attend the banquet dinner. The entire Toombs family has been instrumental with the start up and ongoing life of EOCIL.

Without the continuing support of BFF this project would not have evolved, and people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Eastern Oregon would not be receiving independent living services that offer them choices in maintaining, enhancing and increasing independence.