The Wisconsin based AIDS Resource Center will announce a merger with longtime St. Louis non-profit Saint Louis Effort for AIDS (EFA) at a press conference tomorrow morning, Sept. 27, at EFA's new building located at 2653 Locust Street, St. Louis, M0. 63101.
According to a media alert, the merger will enhance and expand programs and services for people at risk and living with HIV in St. Louis by bringing the HIV Medical Home to the area. The HIV Medical Home is an integrative model of healthcare that helps people living with HIV live long, healthy lives while reducing costs.
In recent years, EFA has seen an increase in the demand for its programs and services as a record number of people are living with HIV. In St. Louis, there are 6145 people living with HIV; however, only 50 percent are regularly engaged in the healthcare they need to successfully manage their HIV disease and prevent transmission of the virus to others. Post-merger EFA will be better prepared to address this issue and provide HIV care and treatment that will help people living with HIV in St. Louis achieve viral suppression and optimal health, the media alert states.
The merged organizations will also announce their success in securing a $1.7 million grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. The grant funds will aid in the success of the merger and help in the development and operation of the HIV Medical Home in St. Louis.
AIDS Resource Center President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Gifford; Vice President of Operations, Tawnya Brown; Retired EFA Executive Director, Cheryl Oliver; Dr. Bill Summers, and current EFA clients will participate in tomorrow's press conference.
Saint Louis Effort for AIDS, known in the community as "EFA", is the region's oldest AIDS Service Organization (ASO). Founded as a nonprofit organization in December 1985, EFA takes the lead in implementing innovative approaches that address the rapidly changing care, treatment and prevention environment for people living with or at risk of being infected with HIV.