SU center for social research awarded $78,000 grant for HIV/AIDS prevention

Southern University’s Social Research Center was recently awarded a $78,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
According to officials, the research center entered a competition for the federal grant that was made available for minority institutions nationwide.
The grant will permit the research center to begin an HIV/AIDS prevention program that targets Southern University students, especially women.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health, as of March 31, 2005, there were a total of 29,918 HIV/AIDS cases reported in the state, including 284 pediatric cases.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to provide information to students that will make them more aware of AIDS,” said Lacey Tillotson, director of the project.
Tillotson said the project will be the forefront of a variety of educational events including student training peer help educators.
The job description of the peer help educators will include educating their peers about HIV/AIDS prevention during different campaigns and summits, she said.
Tillotson said there will be 22 openings for female peer help educators and only four open positions for males since the program focuses more on women.
“Financial stipends will be awarded to the peer help educators who are selected and participants will also be given a financial incentive, however the amounts are not yet known,” Tillotson said.
Tillotson said the only requirements for the peer help educator positions will be for the applicant to be enrolled at Southern University and be able to demonstrate being an effective and sincere peer help educator.
She said, “We are anticipating selecting peer help educators in January of 2007 and hope that this program will give prevention strategies for students to prevent risky behaviors that would result in HIV.”