The mercury inside these thermometers poses a health risk, especially to young children, if the glass that contains it is broken. Not only is the liquid dangerous, but also the vapors released. Trying to sweep or vacuum up a spill only releases more vapors into the air.

According to Health Care without Harm, the Campaign for Environmentally Responsible Health Care, young children who were exposed to mercury from a broken thermometer suffered from apathy, irritability, hypertension, weight loss, sweating, light sensitivity, and eczema. In some of the cases, it took months for children to recover.

For this reason, the Montgomery County Health Department is giving free, non-mercury containing thermometers to families who bring in their old mercury thermometers. Only one thermometer will be given per family due to limited supplies. Please bring your mercury thermometer in its original case or a sealed plastic soda bottle. To exchange your mercury thermometer please go to the Montgomery County Health Department at 330 Pageant Lane, anytime Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The primary goal of the conference is to help minority and low income women with self esteem issues, and to instill in women the knowledge that they are not alone, that other people are out there willing to help them.

Denise Thomas giving a presentation on proper dress

While the event was targeted primarily at minority and low income women, it was is open to all. Those who attended the conference were provided access to free health screenings, nutritional information, educational and empowerment classes.

Sponsors included the The Matthew Walker Clinic, Americhoice, Carlos Murgas from Honeycutt Realty, and the City of Clarksville.

Organizational attendees included the Montgomery County Health Department, WIC, TennCare, The Community Health Initiative, AARP, Hope Pregnancy Center, The Legal Aid Society, Centerstone, Montgomery Care and Rehab Safe House, UT Extension Nutrition Education, Victim Advocate for Army Community Services, YWCA, APSU,  Angel Wings, and other local vendors.

Miyo Katchi from the Maxwell Clinic provided a free massage to interested attendee.

Clarksville H.O.P.E. looks forward to your attendance next year.

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HIV remains a persistent and pervasive threat to the health, well-being, and human potential of many African American communities. As the impact of the epidemic among African Americans has grown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local public health agencies, and African American communities have stepped up efforts to address the crisis.

While we have seen important signs of progress in reducing risk in many African American populations, the impact remains severe. Today, a heightened national response is urgently needed to build on progress to date and meet the serious challenges that remain.

HIV and AIDS: A Health Crisis for African Americans – African Americans are severely and disproportionately affected by HIV. While blacks represent approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for approximately half of the more than one million Americans currently estimated to be living with HIV, and have represented 40 percent of all deaths among people with AIDS in the U.S. to date.

As new treatments have expanded the lifespans of people infected with HIV, the number of African Americans living with HIV continues to increase, creating more opportunities for HIV transmission.

Fortunately, even in the face of rising HIV prevalence, there have been no indications of increases in the overall rate of new HIV infections among African Americans. In fact, there have been signs of possible reductions in new infections among blacks in some areas hard hit by HIV, such as the state of Florida, and in populations hard hit throughout the country, including injection drug users and African American women. Additionally, mother-to-child transmission of HIV, which largely affects African Americans, has been dramatically reduced, and African American teens have reported significant declines in sexual risk behavior and increases in condom use in recent years. Yet significantly more must be done to address the impact of HIV among African American men, women, and young people.

The latest CDC data on new HIV diagnoses between 2001 and 2005 in the 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting show that:*

• African American males continue to bear the greatest burden of HIV in the U.S. In 2005, the rate of HIV diagnosis (number of cases per 100,000 population) among black men was nearly seven times higher than that of white men, and more than twice that of black women.
• African American women are also severely affected. Among black women in 2005, the rate was more than 20 times that of white women.
• Racial disparities in HIV diagnoses are particularly severe among young people. Overall, blacks made up half (51%) of all new HIV diagnoses between 2001 and 2005. But among youth aged 13 –24, blacks accounted for 61 percent of diagnoses.

*CDC. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diagnoses of HIV/AIDS—33 States, 2001–2005. MMWR 2007;56:189–193. Note: New HIV diagnoses do not necessarily represent new infections, because some individuals with new HIV diagnoses were infected recently, while others were infected long ago.

CDC’S commitment to fighting HIV among African Americans

As the impact of HIV on African Americans has grown over time, so have efforts to combat it. CDC works with partners across the nation to fight HIV on the front lines of the epidemic. Today, nearly half of CDC’s domestic HIV prevention budget, or more than $300 million, is directed to fighting HIV in African American communities.

The largest share of CDC prevention funds for African American communities, an estimated $244 million, supports state and local health departments; national, regional, and community organizations; and health care providers across the U.S.

CDC funds these partners to implement programs to reduce HIV risk behavior among African Americans, help those living with HIV to protect their sexual partners from infection, and increase HIV testing and links to HIV care. Their efforts include approaches such as intensive one-on-one and group counseling, peer outreach, and HIV testing in community-based and health care settings.

Roughly $140 million is now directed to state and local health departments who work in partnership with local community groups to reach the African American populations at greatest risk in their area. Funding for this program has increased from $5.75 million in 1988.

To supplement these efforts and provide additional support to hard-hit communities, CDC provides $30 million directly to community-based organizations to implement programs, an increase from $3 million in 1988.

For more details, follow this link to the CDC website.

For more info about CAMTAN support services or making donations, write: CAMTAN, 1325 Dodd Street, Clarksville, TN 37040 or Call: 931-647-5777 or 249-4262.

Five years ago, a meeting of local area ministers resulted in the founding of the Clarksville Area Ministers Technical Assistance Network, CAMTAN. A non-profit group organized to provide mental, physical, and spiritual assistance to those confronting an HIV/AIDS infection. CAMTAN also seeks to provide capacity building faith-based responses to HIV/AIDS. The organization furthers seeks to combat this disease with a prevention education outreach campaign as well.

Dispelling the vast amount of misinformation and simply false data about this disease that is circulating within the community takes a considerable amount their time. CAMTAN’s client service area includes the city of Clarksville; Montgomery, Robertson, Chetham, Dickson, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys Counties. Clarksville is the central operation base.

Pastor James Hill is the executive director. For those dealing with actual infection, support services range from transportation to medical appointments, job interviews or medication pick-ups, to weekly community meals, consultations and fellowship. Coordination and networking with larger organizations in the Metro-Nashville area is also a part of the program. Applying for grants is a major funding objective. IRS regulations require the organization to demonstrate continued viability before being accorded a non-provisional 501(c) (3) status. Many grant funding entities require that non-provisional status to qualify for their large supporting grants.

Several pastors, local churches and private individuals have pledged monthly contributions that enable the program to function in its current limited capacity during this probationary period. This level of support is vital to CAMTAN being able to sustain its operation and meet its mission. While all area ministers have been invited to participate, at a minimum, in a financial support capacity, not all contacts have been favorably received. Sadly, some pledges have failed to materialize and that has had a serious negative impact on the program’s ability to meet its principle objectives. As a non-profit, CAMTAN draws no government funding to execute any of its programs.

Nashville Cares, MICTAN and The Ryan White Foundation do not cover Montgomery County or our neighboring areas. Clients served by CAMATN must rely on the meager resources which CAMTAN can muster to meet its mission. An eight-passenger van, administrative office support located at Greenwood CM Church, a telephone/fax line and email address and a regular community luncheon with fellowship are primary support facets of CAMTAN. A social worker provides case management on a limited basis.

Although several coordination efforts have been attempted, the Montgomery County Health Department and its AIDS Coordinator has not able to meet with CAMTAN clients or participate in past health fairs hosted by the organization. While CAMTAN manned an information table with health brochures and T-shirts, the Health Department was noticeably absent at the August 8th PCA 6th Annual African Street Festival at Fairgrounds Park. This prevented blood pressure checks and diabetes screenings from being part of the community-wide outreach.

Pastor Hill attends several conferences and workshops in the course of a year. Information on infection rates, medical updates, medicinal breakthroughs and adverse reaction alerts, grant writing guidance and grant opportunities are just some of the benefits gained from these gatherings. Ofttimes, the expense of these conferences is borne out of his own pocket because CAMTAN’s funds cannot cover the cost and meet its clients needs. Public education is a major component of the awareness outreach. The impact of health irregularities of all kinds are the focus of community health outreach efforts. For CAMTAN, these ministries are vital in alleviating community health challenges.

CAMTAN is always in need of and appreciative of cash donations. Be it personal, business, organizational or house of worship in origin, financial donations are welcome. For more info on how you can help, write them at: CAMTAN, 1325 Dodd Street, Clarksville, TN 37040. Call at 931-647-5777.