Peer Health Alliance
March 1, 2023 – The PHA program has ended. PHA may return when funding allows. Now serving Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Counties!
Give us a call: (845) 704-7887
PHA’s goal is to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and hepatitis C (HCV) among young men of color who have sex with men (YMSM). We want to increase the number of young guys who know their HIV, STI and hepatitis C status and increase the number of YMSM in medical care. PHA is high-impact prevention with the goal of suppressing HIV viral load within the young MSM of color population.
PHA reaches out to the community with multi-session group workshops and individual education sessions. We offer workshops like Sex, Dating & Choices, which is designed for high-risk negatives and HIV+ individuals. The workshops center on activities and playing games, and we host social gatherings with peers to increase comfort and commitment to safer sex and to support healthy choices. We offer refreshments and small incentives for completing most workshops.
We distribute condoms and other safer sex supplies to guys who are negative but at high risk for HIV/STI/HCV and for those who are HIV+.
We make referrals for HIV/STI/HCV testing as needed. Our Men’s Services Program handles the testing or we can connect you with free testing at another site.
We provide information on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) [taking medication daily to prevent HIV infection] and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) [taking a short course of anti-retroviral medications after a high-risk exposure to prevent HIV infection]. We can refer you to medical providers when appropriate. PHA can also connect you to other services you might need, and we can help you line up transportation, keep track of appointments with reminders, or even go with you to appointments.
We conduct outreach online (Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist and phone apps) and in person these types of locations in and around Mount Vernon, Nyack, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie:
- parks
- malls
- schools
- hangout areas
- colleges and community colleges
- organizations (the LOFT, CANDLE in Rockland, GLSEN, Planned Parenthood)
- medical agencies and family health centers