An unexpected and very welcome challenge is confronting the staff of the Immune Support Program at Miami Beach Community Health Center (MBCHC): they now have clients, living with HIV, who are aging. This is excellent news, says Orlando Taquechel, MBA, HCM, Vice-President for Project Management at the Center; it means that people are living longer with HIV, long enough that they have to deal with the physical and social transitions of growing older.
This development is not something that Taquechel ever expected when he began his professional involvement in the care of persons with HIV/AIDS over 10 years ago, as a case manager. “We did not expect to be caring for persons with HIV who are aging. People are living much longer, long enough to have some of the medical problems of aging. It demonstrates that HIV is no longer a death sentence, but rather a treatable, chronic disease, for those who know their status, take their medications, pay attention to their bodies and live a lifestyle that supports their health.” That is, in brief, the philosophy of the Immune Support Program (ISP), which provides low cost (or no cost, for those who qualify for their Ryan White programs), high quality care, plus health education and preventive care services, to residents of Miami Beach and Miami Dade County. Services are available to all, regardless of ability to pay.
The ISP provides comprehensive HIV-related services to individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS, with the goal of delaying the progression of the disease, preventing the life threatening opportunistic infections that they are vulnerable to, and helping them maintain the highest possible level of health and quality of life. Services include ambulatory and outpatient medical care provided by experienced HIV specialist physicians who are credentialed by the American Academy of HIV Medicine. In addition, the ISPs interdisciplinary team offers HIV testing; mental health and psychological support services; oral health care; Medical Case Management; Early Intervention Services (EIS); drug adherence counseling; health and risk reduction education; nutrition counseling; referrals for specialty care and transportation services.
“The primary issue for persons with HIV/AIDS is access to the medications,” Taquechel emphasizes. “The medications are expensive; no one can afford them on their own. We are an Aids Drugs Assistance Program (ADAP) enrollment site and we hope to have an ADAP pharmacy on site someday. Assuring access to the drugs is the key to helping HIV positive individuals stay healthy.”
The ISP is unique as a “one-stop shop” where clients can meet with their case managers, visit the dentist, have nutrition counseling and see the doctor, all in one visit. The ISP team includes case managers, counselors, peer educators and a nutritionist. The team is multilingual, speaking English, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese, and is proficient in the delivery of culturally sensitive care to the diverse clients who seek their care and counseling. “We have a very strong team,” Taquechel says, “experienced and committed. Our goal is to create an empowered client. Im very proud of the work that we are doing.” Apparently, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce agrees. In May of this year, they presented the MBCHC with their prestigious Health Care Heroes Award.
The MBCHC opened in 1977 as the Stanley C. Myers Community Health Center, providing geriatric care services. The first HIV program began in 1986, and was subsequently expanded with funding from the Ryan White CARE Act. Since then, the ISP Program has grown tremendously, both in size and scope of services.
According to Taquechel, “This is the place where you can show up anytime you need us we will help you. If you test positive, our team is ready for you right away. You are assigned a case manager immediately. We are one of the only sites that really honor walk-ins. If you show up and need to see your counselor today, we will take care of you. People need to know that we offer HIV testing and access to all the services.
“I love this work because we are here to serve, to facilitate care. We are not selling anything. You can really grow here; there is so much support. We have seen many successes; people come to us thinking they are going to die, and they learn that they can live with HIV. The experience is enormously satisfying.”
Taquechel is a former architect who made a career transition, obtaining his MBA in Health Care Management. He is the Chair of the Care and Treatment Committee of the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership and serves on the board of directors for the CAEAR Coalition and CAEAR Foundation, two national non-profits providing representation, technical assistance and training to organizations that are involved in care and advocacy for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
An unexpected and very welcome challenge is confronting the staff of the Immune Support Program at Miami Beach Community Health Center (MBCHC): they now have clients, living with HIV, who are aging. This is excellent news, says Orlando Taquechel, MBA, HCM, Vice-President for Project Management at the Center; it means that people are living longer with HIV, long enough that they have to deal with the physical and social transitions of growing older. 
