Introduction to African American Church Outreach Project and The Pastor’s Guidebook Healing Begins Here
 

The United States HIV/AIDS epidemic has expanded to affect an increasing number of populations, with African American communities among the most dramatically affected. In California, African Americans made up 20 percent of the HIV cases and 18 percent of the AIDS cases reported, which is almost triple their 6.7 percent representation in the state’s general population.¹  Nationwide, approximately one in 50 African American men, and one in 160 African American women are believed to be infected with HIV.² Throughout the U.S., African Americans are diagnosed with AIDS at a rate almost 11 times higher than whites, and they are 10 times more likely to die from AIDS than their white counterparts, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  and there is evidence that this disparity is increasing. Today, the disease poses a fundamental threat to the future health, well-being and human potential of many African Americans.
 

Project Goals and Purpose

Recognizing the essential role of the church as a time-honored and trusted institution within the African American community, the California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS (DHS/OA) began a partnership in 1999 with key African American church leaders from across the state and the Urban Church Task Force on HIV/AIDS, (an AIDS ministry program in Los Angeles). These leaders and others now comprise the Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board.  Among the goals of this partnership are to develop HIV/AIDS prevention programs and materials that are sensitive to the church environment to help churches address HIV/AIDS issues within their congregations and get involved in prevention efforts to help stem the spread of this devastating disease.
 
In April 1999, the HIV/AIDS Black Church Outreach Program was launched at a Pastor’s Breakfast in Los Angeles announcing the first-of-its-kind partnership between the state and Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board.  Following the year-long development process, the premiere edition of Healing Begins Here: A Pastor’s Guidebook for HIV/AIDS Ministry through the Church was introduced in June 2000.  In 2001, DHS/OA continued to work with the Statewide Advisory Board to develop supplements to the Guidebook including guidelines and tools to develop HIV/AIDS ministries, as well as a church sensitive collateral piece, the Healing Begins Here Quiz Card, designed for distribution to church members.
 
The Guidebook and collateral materials are distributed upon request and through workshops organized by church and community groups. By June 2004, more than 3,100 Guidebooks were distributed to African American church leaders, ministers, local health departments and AIDS service organizations throughout the state, as well as to national and international organizations. The Guidebook is also available at this and several other websites. (http://www.arkofrefuge.org and http://www.baumancurry.com)
 
A unique component of the guidebook is the “Sermon Notes” section developed by clergy to supply pastors with a guide and examples to use when creating sermons around HIV/AIDS issues.  The sermon notes contain biblical references that deal with specific themes such as compassion, knowledge, inclusion, hope and spirituality to assist clergy in using religious principles and values to discuss HIV/AIDS issues.  Also included in the Guidebook is a “Faith Community Covenant Agreement,” signed by 16 prominent church leaders from across the state, which resolves that Pastors dedicate a minimum of four Sunday services a year to HIV/AIDS and further encourages users of the Guidebook to do the same.
 

Objectives

The Objectives of Healing Begins Here are to:
• Mobilize African American Church leaders to address HIV/AIDS.
• Expand and improve HIV/AIDS Ministries among African American Churches.
• Provide consistent messages to religious leaders who will, in turn, mobilize their congregations and surrounding communities to become educated and involved in HIV/AIDS compassion and prevention efforts.
• Disseminate HIV prevention and testing information directly to the African American community.
 

Project Implementation

Following the initial pastor’s breakfast announcing the partnership and the Guidebook introduction in June 2000, demand for the Guidebook by pastors and public health organizations increased creating a need to reprint more Guidebooks.  The project has received media exposure including placement of stories on local, national and international television and radio stations, as well as electronic, mainstream and ethnic print media, and public health information channels.
 
In subsequent years, continuous efforts have been made to promote HIV/AIDS prevention by engaging church leaders and members during important events and observances such as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7, National Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS in March, National HIV Testing Day on June 27 and World AIDS Day, December 1. 

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