Monday, July 26, 2004 | 8:26 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- A Las Vegas organization whose plan to spend state money on a gospel festival was rejected last year received state approval last week for a $250,000 grant.
The state Health Division announced Wednesday that the money, which was approved by the 2003 Legislature, had gone to Fighting Aids in our Community Today, or FACT. Division officials signed off on the grant July 14.
Last year FACT presented a plan to the state calling for $25,479 to determine the feasibility of having a gospel festival. And $100,000 was to be spent to get the location, hire the performers and have a video production made.
It also wanted to spend $18,720 on pamphlets, male and female condoms, phone cards, grocery vouchers, bus passes, T-shirts, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and feminine hygiene products and bottled water for 40 participants in the program.
The division, in rejecting that proposal, said the money was specifically intended for outreach, testing, counseling and dissemination of information on HIV and AIDS.
Christine Lovass-Nagy of the Bureau of Community Health in the division, said Wednesday that under the proposal that was approved the money will be used to identify those with HIV who may or may not know they are positive, by conducting testing and counseling activities at four major community events. It targets 10 percent of the participants at the event.
FACT agrees to provide information on community resources at these events for 12 newly identified persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. There will be case management for the people and the program must report any refusal of service by the client.
The budget also calls for providing a prevention/education program at one after-school program and at one at-risk group each month.
And for 36 weeks, FACT will conduct outreach activities in at-risk neighborhoods, offering information on HIV/AIDS.
Lovass-Nagy said the program must demonstrate and report on how it collaborated with three existing prevention outreach programs to avoid duplication of services.
Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "The appropriation of this funding will address a significant need in the African American community in Clark County."
Division officials said blacks in Clark County have a cumulative AIDS rate that is 2.5 times greater than whites.
Of the total grant, $109,939 is set aside for salaries for: a program coordinator at $37,500; a health educator at $24,000 and a part-time health resource analyst at $25,800 to work with other agencies to reduce duplication of services. Fringe benefits for the workers will cost $16,639.
There also is $3,730 budgeted to allow the program coordinator to attend two national HIV/AIDS conferences, one in Atlanta and another in Philadelphia.
FACT officials also said they intend to spend $93,831 on operations that include telephones, leasing computers, buying a video camera, portable television set, a CD player and a fax machine. FACT said it will pay $38,844 for educational materials and $10,899 for brochures and advertising items. The organization also will lease a vehicle at $588 a month.
The budget sets aside $48,500 for contract consultants including $40,500 that will be used for 1,125 OraSure tests and verifications. The tests and the verification each cost $18.
OraSure checks for HIV antibodies. A special pad with a handle is placed between the cheek and gum of an individual and rubbed back and forth until the pad is moist. After two minutes the pad is removed and placed in a vial that is sent to a laboratory for testing.
FACT's budget for the state grant also allocates for booth rentals at five outreach events. In addition there is $5,000 for an independent audit to make sure the money is being spent properly. The audit must be presented to the state within 90 days after the close of the fiscal year next June 30.
The state has authorized the audit of the program to verify the financial transactions and determine if the money is being used as its approval stipulates. Quarterly progress reports are required to be presented to the state.
The Health Division also said FACT must keep a log of mileage and the purpose of the trips.
Barbara Robinson, a FACT board member, said Michael Chambliss, board president, is the acting director of the organization. He signed off on the paperwork with the state.
Chambliss took a city buyout to leave his job at Las Vegas Neighborhood Services on July 6, Las Vegas city spokesman David Riggleman said.
Chambliss' former Neighborhood Services co-workers, Assemblymen Morse Arberry and Wendell Williams, advocated for the grant for FACT during last year's Legislative session.
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