- Create coalition of faith-based leaders and health educators.
- Locate faith-based organizations that have already indicated that they are LGBTQ friendly.
- Seek partnerships with pastors to benefit from the strong influence of their voice “from the pulpit.”
- Establish speakers’ series on sexual health stigma and religious practices.
- Develop cadre of faith leaders to serve as peer leaders and mentors to encourage other faith-based leaders to participate in HIV faith-based events.
- Create inclusion strategy to engage more minority faith-based organizations, collaborating with diverse chaplains, other clergy, and people of faith through personal networks.
- Partner with faith-based initiatives that already exist, such as the HIV conference held at Christ Missionary Baptist Church.
- Integrate HIV education materials in existing information distribution channels in diverse communities—for example, in church announcements/bulletins year round, but also HIV awareness days such as World AIDS Day, long-term survivor days, and national testing days.
- Partner with national experts that can train local faith leaders on faith-based practices regarding HIV prevention, education, and stigma.
- Use Nashville’s NAACP “HIV in Black Church” program to create similar program in Memphis, engaging leadership groups, etc.
- Train youth group ministry leaders on sexual health education and social injustice by incorporating information into summer camp programs (vacation bible school, etc.) and by engaging youth groups.
- Develop guides for educators (perhaps designated educators for this community) to address faith-based leaders and organizations to follow.
- Develop guides for the faith-based organizations.
Increase the number of faith-based partnerships to address HIV prevention, education, and stigma
Key Activities:
High Priority and Disruptively Innovative
Key Partners
African American Pastor Consortium, Baptist Assoc. of Ministers, C2P Coalition, Christ Church Center, Christ Missionary Baptist Church, Church Health’s Congregational Health Promoter Program, Church on the River, Faith in Harm Reduction, Freedom’s Chapel Christian Church, FFL, Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church, Memphis Interfaith, Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital’s Congregational Health Network, National Coalition of Pastors’ Spouses, National FaithBased Mobilization Network, SisterReach, SCLC, University of Memphis School of Public Health, Whitehaven District Association
Potential Funding Sources
Estimated Funding Allocation
- 4-part speaker series for approximately 15 clergy
– $4000 (venue, materials, supplies, travel reimbursements, food)
– $1000 (incentives)
– $2000 each event (speaker fees for travel and honorarium – $2000×4=$8000)
– $12,500 (.25 FTE)
– Coordinator- $45,000
Total: $70,500
Outcomes
(Reported annually, locally monitored more frequently)
- # of Annual surveys
- # of Faith-based organizations offering HIV programs that support testing and supportive services for PWH
- # of Follow-up reports from trained position
- Percentage of trained faith leaders
- Implement Pre/Post-test
- Implement Sign-in sheets for training attendance