Funds will be used to create a support network for providers of HIV/AIDS care
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Holy Cross Health has received a three-year grant from ViiV Positive Action Network to develop a support network for peers and professionals providing social services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Florida remains one of the highest states in the nation to report new cases of HIV and syphilis.
As cases continue to soar, the Holy Cross Health Community Health and Well-Being department continues its efforts to respond. Many individuals find themselves having to learn to navigate the complex and changing health care system. The Navigator Network newly funded by ViiV will offer quarterly in-person and monthly online meetings with the goal of bringing case managers, peers, community health workers and other client-facing specialists together to discuss resources, challenges and positive outcomes. Future endeavors supported by the grant also include an illustrated video series explaining Florida’s Ryan White care system, an online resource guide and Navigator Network Hub on Holy Cross’ website.
While HIV can impact people regardless of their sex, age, race/ethnicity or sexual orientation, certain groups experience a greater risk of HIV than others. HIV continues to have a significant impact in the United States, affecting approximately 1.2 million people. The highest rates of new HIV diagnoses are in the South, accounting for nearly half of new infections. Despite advances in prevention efforts and drug therapies, efforts are needed to address the social determinants of health and ensure equitable access to prevention and treatment services. If HIV goes untreated, it can lead to severe health complications and eventually progress to Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
HIV disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Black and Hispanic/Latino communities. HIV stigma, homophobia and discrimination contribute to health disparities and hinder access to care.
“This Network was established to ensure that there is a network of navigators working together across all systems to improve access to patient essentials including housing, food, medical care, medications, transportation, etc. As resources become scarcer, it is paramount that we work collaboratively,” said Tolulope Adeagbo, Community Linkage and Liaison Coordinator in Holy Cross’ Community Health and Well-Being department. “The health and welfare of our patients depend upon us sharing our expertise, building trust, networking, using collective intelligence and sharing the one goal that we all have in common – to improve the health and well-being of our patients.”
For more information on Holy Cross Health’s Navigator Network Program, call 954-542-1660 or email Tolulope.Adeagbo@holy-cross.com.
ABOUT HOLY CROSS HEALTH
A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale-based Holy Cross Hospital, dba Holy Cross Health, is a full-service, not-for-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross has been recognized for six Types of Care in U.S. News and World Report’s 2024-25 Best Hospital rankings and was named among the 2024 America’s Best-In-State Hospitals by Newsweek. Holy Cross has been designated as a High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for LGBTQ+ healthcare access. Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as our community’s trusted health partner for life. Holy Cross Health also encompasses Holy Cross HealthPlex outpatient facility, an urgent care center and more than 40 Holy Cross Medical Group physician practices. To learn more about Holy Cross Health, visit Connect @holycrossfl.
