FHI - USAID Awards Family Health International, Catholic Relief Services, and International Child Care the "Community Health and AIDS Mitigation Project" in Haiti

Research Triangle Park, NC, July 20, 2009 - Family Health International (FHI) today announces that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded the organization and its partners, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and International Child Care (ICC), the five-year, $65-million Community Health and AIDS Mitigation Project (CHAMP) in Haiti to assist the Haitian Ministry of Health in delivering an integrated and comprehensive care and support package to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and vulnerable families.

CHAMP will contribute to USAID/Haiti's Investing in People Objective that aims to improve the health and well-being of the most vulnerable Haitians, and will support USAID's strategy to reinforce capacity of decentralized entities of the Haitian Ministry of Health. By building on existing infrastructures and community networks, this effort is also aligned with Haiti's National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS.

CHAMP will strengthen local health systems and empower families and communities in Haiti's ten departments to participate in their own care. Besides HIV/AIDS services, beneficiaries will have community-level access to basic health and social services, tuberculosis care, reproductive health support, maternal and child health care, and nutrition assistance.

Care and support for PLHA and their families will be provided through the following:

Community Service Delivery Points managed by/with community-based organizations and
Care in the families' homes, complementing and linking with clinic based services provided through other mechanisms. Community agents will facilitate access to services by working with families in their own communities and serving as sources of information, support, and referrals. This community-based integration strategy will not only build local capacity but also optimize antiretroviral treatment and patient follow-up by addressing broader social and health needs linked to HIV/AIDS.

Al Siemens, Chief Executive Officer, Family Health International, said, "The [CHAMP] project exemplifies both our vision of offering hope by leveraging our expertise in public health to empower families and communities to meet their own needs across a broad spectrum of health and development concerns, as well as our increasing emphasis on building local capacity and health systems. With decades of combined experience in Haiti, FHI and our world-class partners, Catholic Relief Services and International Child Care, will be ready to hit the ground running to work with communities to integrate HIV/AIDS services with existing activities and address the challenges of access in often remote areas and stigma in receiving AIDS care."

Partners Will Build on Decades of Experience

FHI will lead the HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health components of the project, while Catholic Relief Services will lead the maternal and child health (MCH) component and provide HIV/AIDS social services. International Child Care will provide technical assistance in tuberculosis detection, care, and treatment. FHI, CRS, and ICC each have proven records of working with the Haitian government, as well as of facilitating the active participation of health workers and community agents in providing health and social services.

FHI has been on the ground in Haiti for more than two decades providing HIV/AIDS and reproductive health services and is currently implementing HIV/AIDS interventions with support from the Global Fund and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CRS has been in Haiti for more than 30 years, most recently implementing the Community Care and Support program for the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). ICC is one of the Ministry of Public Health and Population's most important partners in the fight against tuberculosis.

About Family Health International

Family Health International (FHI), a leading global health and development organization, improves the lives of the world's most vulnerable families through its unique approach of delivering sustainable programs based on scientific research. Since 1971, FHI continues to lead the global response to HIV/AIDS and is making major contributions to address reproductive health, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious and chronic diseases. Beyond immediate care and treatment programs, FHI engages staff scientists in research, testing, and developing new treatments to advance public health and development. FHI's community-building and service delivery model responds to the most pressing and anticipated needs in developing countries. With more than 2,300 employees working in over 55 countries, FHI is a partner of choice for funders, local governments, nongovernmental agencies, research institutions, and community-based groups.

About Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the US Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality, or creed. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org.

About International Child Care

International Child Care is an important partner of the Ministry of Health in fighting TB in Haiti, and currently provides technical assistance to the Haiti National Office, particularly in epidemiological surveillance, training, supervision, and quality control for TB. For more information, please visit www.intlchildcare.org.

For more information contact:
Matthew Matassa
mmatassa@fhi.org or 703-647-1909