About Our Sponsors
qnotes is pleased to partner with Rosedale Health and Wellness, Dudley’s Place, Amity Medical Group, Affinity Health Center and NC AIDS Action Network in presenting this special section, “Life, Positively,” in recognition of World AIDS Day.
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Carolinas AIDS Service Organizations and Agencies
Presenting Sponsor
Rosedale Health and Wellness
Dudley’s Place
The Dudley’s Place is the newest AIDS Service Organization serving the Charlotte region. Founded in September 2019 by Dr. Frederick Cruickshank, medical director at Rosedale Health and Wellness, Dudley’s Place was created to meet the growing needs of HIV positive patients in the Charlotte region and to provide HIV prevention for the community. The mission of Dudley’s Place is to positively impact the quality of life for individuals living with or at risk for HIV through prevention, education, client-centered services and coordinated care in collaboration with community partners.
Named after his best animal friend, Dr. Cruickshank’s goal for Dudley’s Place is to provide love and support to clients like Dudley (the puppy) provided him — “Your new best friend.” “Many of the patients I was seeing were missing the comfort and love Dudley provided me. I wanted to create the non-profit arm of Rosedale Health and Wellness to provide an extra layer of support to ensure that the clients were medically compliant and healthy, but also have a complete support system where they had a ‘best friend’ they could rely on. I am thrilled to see this vision come to reality for the community,” said Dr. Cruickshank.
Dale J. Pierce, was named the first executive director of Dudley’s Place. With 25 years lived and work experience in HIV/AIDS, he is the right person for the job. “This is one of my proudest moments accepting this job and developing an AIDS Service Organization from the ground up,” said Dale. “Becoming a Ryan White Part A grant recipient started our first year off in an amazing way to serve clients. Thanks to the unique partnership with Rosedale Health and Wellness, we were able to subcontract to provide Ryan White services immediately.”
What do we offer?
Supportive Case Management.
The goal of supportive case management is to meet the immediate health and psychosocial needs of the client at their level of readiness in order to restore or sustain client stability, and to establish a supportive relationship that can lead to enrollment in more comprehensive case management services.
Transportation Services (non-emergency)
Dudley’s Place Transportation Services can provide referrals and information on transportation services for clients, such as free Lyft rides to and from medical appointments, support groups, outside referrals, such as food pantries and assistance with public transportation needs.
Food Voucher
For people living with HIV, proper nutrition is a critical part of maintaining a healthy immune system. Through Dudley’s Place, we provide a $50 food voucher to HIV positive clients who meet certain medical/nutritional needs.
Dudley’s Garden
Dudley’s Place Garden helps patients by supplying fresh, local and organically grown produce.
Referrals Network
Dudley’s Place will provide information on local food pantries and soup kitchens that can help clients supplement their monthly food budgets and improve their dietary intake.
Essentials Pantry
The Essentials Pantry on site that stocks some of those essentials such as shampoo, body soap, laundry soap, etc.
Support Groups
Couch Talks is a social support group for HIV positive individuals. Couch Talks help clients connect, reflect and support each other. Groups are being formed for non-positive individuals to encourage open dialogue around issues related to HIV/AIDS.
Social Events
To increase the overall wellness of clients, Dudley’s Place offers social events such as holiday parties, theater outings, yoga and meditation classes to build community with our clients.
Housing Case Management — COVID
Our housing case manager provides services to clients who are homeless or are on the verge of homelessness otherwise in need by assisting them throughout the process of applying for program assistance and finding a safe and affordable apartment or house.
Ryan White Part A
Medical Care/Follow Up
Laboratories
Nurse Visits
Health Insurance
Red Ribbon Sponsor
Amity Medical Group
Amity Medical Group is an independent family medicine practice with two offices servicing the greater Charlotte/Mecklenburg County metropolitan area, and we are happily accepting new patients. Amity Medical Group specializes in primary and chronic care, LGBT care, PrEP care, including the best regional HIV specialist, diabetes specialists, weight loss management and preventative care services. We are a Mecklenburg County partner providing Ryan White care and access to the Mecklenburg County PrEP Initiative which provides PrEP free of charge to those who live in Mecklenburg County and qualify. We also offer on-site labs, on-site radiology, on-site pharmacy, with a staff of nine medical providers and a support staff of more than 20. We are active in multiple community-based organizations researching better healthcare for vulnerable populations. We are continuing to grow, and we appreciate all who have placed their trust in us for the best healthcare possible. As a leader in local healthcare, we pledge our continued commitment to providing and delivering the best healthcare in the region.
Supporting Sponsors
Affinity Health Center
Affinity Health Center is a Federally Qualified Community Health Center. Our main site is located in Rock Hill, S.C. with satellite sites in Clover, Ft. Mill and York. Our staff of almost 90 employees is growing to serve the needs of our community with compassion, dignity and respect. Our team of providers includes an Internal Medicine/Infectious Disease Physician, Family Practice Physicians, Physician Assistants, Family Nurse Practitioners, a Certified Nurse Midwife/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, on-site Dentist and Mental Health Counselors. We also have an on-site pharmacy, clinical support staff, case managers and community health educators to provide comprehensive health services for all ages. We expanded our on-site dental services this past summer and have been providing free drive-thru COVID-19 testing to the community since the beginning of the pandemic. We offer primary care services that include hormone replacement therapy, PrEP and STD treatment, available regardless of insurance status, with a sliding fee scale based on income. Clinical and mental health services are available through telehealth.
Our beginnings as Catawba Care, an AIDS Service Organization, still show strong in our focus on HIV specialty care and case management services. We invest in prevention of HIV, Hepatitis C and STDs by providing in-house care and treatment plus one-on-one education and group presentations throughout our service area. We also provide free confidential walk-in HIV, Hepatitis C, and STD testing, PEP and PrEP navigation every Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This year we will be observing World AIDS Day both virtually through social media and throughout the day at our main location. The Rock Hill Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will be partnering with Affinity Health Center in a gift basket give away on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Check out our World AIDS Day posts and share or comment for a chance to win. You can find us at @affinityhealthcenter on Facebook and Instagram and @AffinityHC on Twitter. We will be open for HIV testing on World AIDS Day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will have an opportunity for people to light a virtual candle in remembrance of those lost to HIV and learn more about HIV care and prevention.
Please join us virtually or come in to get tested during our observance of World AIDS Day on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
NC AIDS Action Network
The North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN) was initially birthed out of the need to end the state’s HIV Medication Assistance Program (formerly known as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program) waitlist — once the longest in the nation. As a result of NCAAN’s advocacy, North Carolina’s HIV Medication Assistance Program ended its waitlist and remains fully funded.
Since its formal incorporation in 2010, more than 30,000 people living with HIV and their allies have taken action with the organization, resulting in numerous legislative victories and tangible, real change for individuals living with HIV and AIDS in North Carolina. In recent years, the network has coordinated coalition advocacy campaigns that modernized North Carolina’s HIV criminal law, secured a state appropriation of $1.2 million to combat viral hepatitis and blocked legislation that would have rolled back components of North Carolina’s sex education law.