SARASOTA COUNTY, FL— Residents from Sarasota, Longboat Key, Venice, North Port and the surrounding communities are invited to talk with leaders of the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH-Sarasota) and state HIV/AIDS program at the High Impact Prevention Town Hall meeting to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS on Thursday, Aug. 6 from
11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the William L. Little Health & Human Services Center, 2200 Ringling Boulevard (Auditorium), Sarasota.

“By going into the neighborhoods where people are at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS, we hope to teach the value of prevention as well as avoidance,” said Valentino Clarke, regional HIV/AIDS coordinator based in Lee County. “This community conversation will allow residents to ask questions in a friendly comfortable setting.”

Participants will learn about how agencies have adapted to the High Impact Prevention program, what its strengths and weaknesses are, how HIP can be enhanced and the development of new projects and improved mechanisms to reduce new HIV infections.

Health care providers and all interested members of the community are urged to provide feedback on how best to reach at risk populations for HIV who do not know their status in Sarasota County. People who are not able to attend can call into the conversation from their phones. To reserve a seat or get more information contact Sindia DeLaCruz at 239-461-6113 no later than July 31.

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The Department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook.  For more information go to http://sarasotahealth.org.

Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities.                
View the complete policy at www.scgov.net/ADA/Pages/default.aspx

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MEDIA NOTES: DOH-Sarasota Media Contact: Dianne Shipley, 941-861-2852; cell 941-302-1058; DOHSarasotaNews@FLHealth.gov