Program Spotlight
Positive Families Program
Every parent knows how important it is to plan for their children’s future. For families affected by HIV/AIDS, ensuring their
children will be loved and cared for in the future is a vital, but often difficult task. The Positive Families Program provides
free and confidential assistance, guidance and support for families affected by the illness with children under age 21. Dedicated
staff members work one-on-one with parents to help them make difficult custody and care planning decisions, discuss these decisions
with their children, family members and future caregivers, and help children adjust to the new family unit.
Confidential services including support groups, individual and family counseling help families process the emotional aspects of future
planning and cope with the unique stresses of living with HIV/AIDS. “Support groups give us the opportunity to get and share strength
from each other; to know we are not alone and don’t have to hide; to be ourselves and open with others that do not judge us; and to
have connections with others living with similar situations. The support gained from these connections is what helps us to be able
to tell other friends and family about our status and to make a future care and custody plan for our children,” explains a
Positive Families Program client.
Staff members may also provide transportation and accompany parents to related legal appointments, help new caregivers obtain benefits for
their children, and provide services inside the family’s home when needed. By connecting parents with these vital resources and services,
the Positive Families Program empowers families to take on the challenges of living with the illness. “Without the help of program staff,
I would not have access to food stamps, a new Will or guardianship paperwork for my son. They also gave me the confidence to be the positive
parent that I am today. I now have a tool-box for any situation that may come up,” said another program client.
To learn more about the Positive Families Program, please call (716) 842-2750.