[e-drug] NATAF: Tracks & Workshops

[Gregg Gonsalves <Greggg@gmhc.org>]

E-drug: NATAF: Tracks & Workshops
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NATAF: Tracks & Workshops
December 2-5, 2001
Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre 
Vancouver, Canada

For more information visit 
http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/welcome.htm

The 2001 North American AIDS Treatment Action Forum (NATAF)
will be held December 2-5 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
Hotel, Vancouver, Canada. The forum is designed to educate
individuals interested in becoming HIV/AIDS advocates and
educators; to enhance their skills and knowledge; and to develop
inclusive, national strategies to ensure the continuity and success
of the treatment advocacy movement. 

NATAF 2001 is open to anyone interested in broadening their
knowledge of HIV/AIDS research and treatment issues, and learning
to use this knowledge to advocate on behalf of everyone living with
HIV/AIDS. Participants include the volunteers, staff, and board
members of community-based organizations, case managers, social
workers, AIDS educators and outreach workers, pharmaceutical and
government representatives, healthcare professionals and people
living with HIV/AIDS.

The forum includes a pre-conference orientation and is divided into
three tracks:

Action Track
(http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/welcome.htm#Action_Track)
The Action Track combines two tracks from previous years: the
Treatment Activist track and the Public Policy track. This track will
provide information and skills-building necessary to impact how
AIDS research is conducted, and how treatments, vaccines and
microbicides are developed and approved. It will also cover policies
made by federal, state and provincial governments, and private
insurers that affect access to treatment and quality health care for
all people living with HIV. Finally, it will examine how governments,
international agencies and drug companies respond to the global
AIDS epidemic. 

To make it easier to identify areas of interest, the Action track is
divided into three groups:

1. Action Skills Building, 
2. Community Voices in HIV/AIDS Research and Development,
   and 
3. Access to Treatment and Health Care. 

The Action Skills-Building sessions will focus on developing the
skills necessary to advocate with governments and other decisions
makers on important issues, and organize our communities to do
the same. The action skills building sessions will include workshops
such as: 
 
*  How to be a Treatment Advocate for People in Prison 
*  Advocating for Yourself or Others in Health Care Systems 
*  Make the Press Work for You: Soundbites to Interviews 
*  What's Our Plan?: How to Identify a Target, Develop a
   Strategy, and Analyze Results 
*  Mobilize Your Community: From Peanut Butter Sandwiches to
   Speeches at the Capitol 
*  How to Influence Government Officials Without Being a
   Millionaire 
*  Building International Relations in Activism 
*  Researching, Analyzing, and Using Policy Data to Boost
   Advocacy Efforts 

The Community Voices in HIV/AIDS Research and Development
sessions will address emerging and important issues in the areas of
biomedical and behavioral research, and the development of
treatments, vaccines and microbicides. Participants will develop
critical thinking around scientific information, and explore activist
strategies in working with the pharmaceutical industry, government
and academic research entities. The Community Voices in HIV/AIDS
Research and Development sessions offered will include topics such
as: 

*  Developing Effective Strategies for Treatment Activism 
*  The Science of Addiction, Harm Reduction, Mental Health and
   HIV Disease 
*  Women's HIV Treatment and Research Activism 
*  Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Evaluating Claims,
   Gathering Evidence 
*  The Immune System and HIV: Development of Vaccines and
   Immune Based Therapies 
*  Antiretroviral Strategies: Activist Interventions on When to
   Start, STI's Salvage Therapy and Beyond

The Access to Treatment and Health Care sessions will examine
barriers and challenges in treatment and health care access in the
United States, Canada, and internationally. The sessions offered will
include topics such as: 

*  The Impact of U.S. and Canadian Policy on HIV Treatment and
   Care in Developing Countries 
*  Access to Care and Treatment for Immigrants in the U.S. and
   Canada 
*  A Look at U.S. and Canadian Policies that Affect Access to HIV
   Care and Treatment for People in Prison 
*  Improving Access to Care and Treatment for Active Users 
*  Accessing Complementary and Alternative Therapies 
*  The Rising Cost of Health Care: How Marketing Influences
   Consumers and Physicians 
*  The Impact of Drug Pricing on Treatment Access domestically
   and Internationally 
*  Broadening the Agenda: Fighting to Obtain Access to Quality
   Care and Treatment for HIV Positive Women

Treatment Education Track
(http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/welcome.htm#Treatment_Educat
ion_Track)
The Treatment Education track will engage in discussions about
existing and emerging concepts in HIV/AIDS-related treatment
issues. The track will examine these issues in a manner that makes
them accessible to people living with HIV/AIDS, treatment
educators, and direct service providers.

This track will:
*  Increase the knowledge of treatment educators, front-line
   workers, and caregivers so that they can become more
   effective advocates for people living with HIV/AIDS and the
   broader community. 
*  Provide opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS to
   empower themselves so that they may make informed
   treatment decisions. 
*  Provide educators, activist, and advocates with the information
   and context to help them identify and address issues affecting
   their communities.

The Treatment Education track will endeavor to meet these goals
and objectives through a variety of workshops covering a wide
range of issues, including: 

*  Cultural Challenges to Treatment Education 
*  Women's Treatment Issues 
*  Antiretroviral Therapy I - Why, When & How 
*  Antiretroviral Therapy II - Emerging Issues 
*  Drug Interaction-Prescription, Street Drugs, & Supplements 
*  The long & Short of Side Effects 
*  Hepatitis & Liver Health 
*  Cancers & Opportunistic Infections 
*  Nutrition as Therapy 
*  Understanding and Evaluating Complementary Medicine 
*  Pregnancy & HIV 
*  Massaging the Immune System

Skills Building Track
(http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/welcome.htm#Skills_Building_Tra
ck) The goal of the Skills Building track is to help participants apply
the information and strategies discussed in the Treatment Education
and Action Tracks in their own activities and communities. The
Skills Building workshops use hands-on learning approaches and
provide participants the opportunity to use real-life projects,
experiences and challenges throughout the workshops.

Scholarships
Deadline for scholarships application is 6:00 PM (eastern) on
August 31, 2001. For information about scholarships, please go to
http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/scholarship/scholarship.htm

Scholarship applications will be accepted from all interested parties.
Special consideration will be given to treatment advocates living
with HIV/AIDS and people who are interested in becoming
treatment advocates. Depending on availability, a maximum of one
scholarship per agency will be awarded. There are a limited number
of scholarships available.

DO NOT FAX your scholarship application. Faxed applications will
NOT be considered. Please be sure to complete all required
information. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Scholarship Options
Option A - Registration only ($150.00 US)
Option B - Registration($150.00 US), $100.00 US travel credit, two
nights hotel lodging at Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel
($430.00 US)

Registration
Deadline for registration is 6 p.m., October 31, 2001. You can
register online at
http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/online_registration.htm.

Member Pre-Registration Fee $150 (before October 31, 2001, 6
p.m. eastern) Non Member Pre-Registration Fee $175 (before
October 31, 2001, 6 p.m. eastern) Onsite Registration Fee $225
(after October 31, 2001, 6 p.m. eastern) 


Visiting Canada
A valid passport is required for citizens of all countries to enter
Canada. Canada has no specific restrictions on entry for people
living with HIV/AIDS. However, Canada does reserve the right to
deny entry to someone with serious medical illness that poses a
danger to public health or safety, or whose admission might cause
excessive demands on health or social services. Although HIV is not
considered a danger to public heath, it may be necessary for
delegates to prove that they have health insurance coverage for the
entire period of their visit to Canada. Therefore, it is strongly
recommended that you purchase health insurance for your visit to
Canada. Delegates will have access to medical services and nursing
support during the conference. Make sure your travel health
insurance will cover these expenses. Access to HIV-related drugs
will be possible but not without payment. There will be no free
drugs at the conference. So please, ensure you bring an adequate
supply for your stay in Canada. Individuals who are undergoing
Methadone maintenance therapy are permitted to enter into Canada
with no more than a two-day supply of methadone. Upon arrival in
Vancouver, arrangements can be made to insure appropriate
quantity of Methadone is prescribed for the remainder of your stay.
If you are entering Canada with Methadone, you MUST bring an
original letter from your doctor clearly stating the dose, route and
frequency of administration as well as the reason for and length of
time you have been taking Methadone. Requests for Methadone
prescriptions will be handled with strict confidentiality. Please note
that you will be responsible for paying for the cost of filling a
Methadone prescription. The possession of and/or transport of
illegal drugs (including marijuana) into Canada is NOT permitted
even with a doctor¹s prescription

Hotel Information
Please go to
http://www.nmac.org/nataf/2001/Hotel_Registration_Form.htm to
the the hotel registration form.

NATAF has reserved a block of rooms at the Sheraton Vancouver
Wall Centre Hotel for the forum. To be assured a room at the
special forum rates, you must make your reservations by October
31, 2001, and identify yourself as a NATAF participant. You may
make reservations by completing the hotel reservation form and
returning it directly to the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel
1088 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6Z 2R9. Phone:
1-800-663-9255, Fax: 604-893-7123. A deposit for the first night
is required to guarantee your room reservation. The room rate is for
single Occupancy $129.00 (plus taxes) or Double Occupancy $129
(plus taxes). Amount shown is in Canadian Currency, his amount
converts to $86.00 dollars per night as of January 4, 2001.
Amount subject to change in currency exchange. Also your GST
taxes paid on hotel accommodations and purchases made in
Canada are refundable.

Scholarship recipients will be required to make their own hotel
reservations.

The Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel is located in downtown
Vancouver within walking distance of several attractions. The hotel
is located approximately 30 minutes from Vancouver International
Airport. All accommodations feature remote control color television
with cable, three phones with two dedicated phone lines, voicemail,
computer and fax hook-ups, am/fm clock radios, in room coffee
makers, ironing boards/irons, hairdryers and complimentary
newspapers. Meeting participants will be able to enjoy fitness
center with indoor lap pool and 2 Jacuzzis as well as 24 hour room
service.

Sponsors

*  AIDS Project Los Angeles 
*  African American AIDS Policy and Training Institute 
*  American Foundation for AIDS Research 
*  Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center 
*  British Columbia Persons With AIDS Society 
*  Canadian AIDS Society 
*  Canadian Treatment Advocates Council 
*  Community Research Initiative on AIDS 
*  Gay Men's Health Crisis 
*  Hyacinth AIDS Foundation 
*  National Minority AIDS Council 
*  Project Inform 
*  Test Positive Aware Network 
*  Treatment Action Group


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