In 1992, Lutheran Social Services expanded into addressing health-related issues in the Jacksonville community. Through a program called AIDS Care and Education (ACE), LSS provides assistance to people and families who are HIV-positive or living with AIDS through case management, counseling support, rent and utility assistance and education services. Through these efforts, great strides have been made in the overall impact of AIDS in Jacksonville’s most at-risk communities.

The goal of the program is to improve the quality of life and health for those who are living with HIV, empower them to become active in their care decisions and to build self-esteem.

Case managers work to meet needs and secure access to services for consumers, which inlude medical and dental care, identification, food stamps, emergency food and clothing, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, furnishings, medications, legal assistance, support groups. educational materials, job placement, vocational rehabilitation, GED and continued education.

Program at a Glance:
Director: Heather Vaughan (hvaughan@lssjax.org)

Program Founded: 1992

2008-09 Expenses: $643,243

2009-10 Budget: $764,983

Employees: 10

2008-09 Clients: 660

Services Provided:
• Ryan White Case Management
• Medicaid PAC Waiver Case Management
• Ryan White Mental Health Program
• Ryan White HOPWA and
• Shared Housing Program

2008-09 Notables:
• The ACE program provided services to more than 600 clients during the 2008-09 fiscal year. These clients received services through Ryan White and Medicaid Waiver case management, mental health counseling and the ACE housing program.

• The client mix consisted of people living in rural areas, single women, women with children, men, racial/ethnic minorities and communities of color, the homeless, gay, lesbian and bisexual adults, incarcerated persons, people in need of mental health counseling, injection drug users and other substance abuse users.
Of the 600 people served, 515 were in the case management program; 253 were 45-64 years old; 223 were 25-44 years old; 23 were between the ages of 19-24; and 16 were 65 and older.
The race and ethnicity breakdown of those in case management was: 65 percent black or African-American, 31 percent white or Caucasian, and less than two percent Hispanic, Asian or other/unknown.

• Regarding income, 351 clients had household incomes at, or lower than, the federal poverty level of $10,400. To stretch their income, ACE clients, when necessary, sought rental, mortgage and utility assistance from the Housing Program or were referred out to other agencies. Additionally, clients received food assistance from the ACE Community Food Pantry.

• During the 2008-09 fiscal year, the ACE Community Food Pantry served more than 750 households with canned and packaged food items. The pantry was able to assist these households with the assistance of eight volunteers, who generously donated more than 600 hours to the effort of feeding those in need.

• The Housing Opportunities for Women and Children With AIDS and the Shared Housing programs assisted a total of 170 individuals/families with their rent, mortgage and/or utilities.

• All members of the ACE Men’s Support Group volunteered at least once during the year to assist in distributing food from the Community Food Pantry. Additionally, the members of the group helped to distribute Christmas presents to the ACE program’s HIV infected or affected clients.

• Through two internal grants provided by Lutheran Social Services, the ACE Program was able to provide roofing for an elderly client; 70 clients with personal hygiene items; 12 clients with space heaters, electric blankets and warm bedding; three clients with warm clothing, coats and shoes; and five clients with utility/fuel assistance for their homes.

• The Survivors Support Group at LSS volunteered and participated in the 12th Annual Positive Living Conference in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

• The ACE Program was awarded a grant through the MAC AIDS fund for at-risk women who have tested positive to receive mammograms. In 2008-09, ACE received 124 referrals for the program and successfully completed 69 baseline mammograms. These services include 43 baseline mammograms, 10 bilateral mammograms, four unilateral mammograms and 12 ultrasounds. Through this program, four women were identified to have breast cancer, after which the ACE staff was able to assist them in receiving treatment and care.

• In December 2009, ACE employee Priscilla Roberts was named Case Manager of the Year at a luncheon held during World AIDS week in downtown Jacksonville.

• In September 2009, longtime director Dick Niemann retired from his position as program director of the ACE Program. His assistant, Heather Vaughan, was hired to replace him.

The majority of the services that the ACE Program offered were funded by the following government contracts:

• Ryan White Case Management and Mental Health

• Jacksonville Transitional Grant Area (Ryan White) via the City of Jacksonville Behavioral and Human Services Division of the Recreational and Community Services Department, which receives the funds as a Transitional Grant Area Part A from HSRA

• Housing Opportunities for Women and Children /
Shared Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS

• Via the federal government to the City of Jacksonville, Housing Services Division, Housing and Neighborhoods Department