Mental Health and Client Services
Does living with HIV/AIDS cause strain on one’s mental health, or does having a mental health issue lead to high-risk behaviors that can expose one to HIV? The answer is yes to both. Many people who test positive for HIV face significant and challenging mental health issues, often brought on by the fact that there is still a stigma around HIV/AIDS. At the same time, some mental illnesses and conditions can deplete a person’s ability to avoid high-risk sexual behavior or lead to substance abuse.
The AIDS Council provides services for clients facing mental health issues and works with them to ensure they have access to additional resources:
16. We provide Mental Health Support Groups offered at various locations
17. Our Mental Health Support Groups cover multiple issues. HIV disclosure, bereavement, and treatment adherence are all significant mental health issues facing our clients. Our trained facilitators help clients work through these issues in a supportive group setting.
18. Our Case Managers provide clients with referrals and assistance with enrollment into mental health counseling services. As with substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation, navigating the mental health system can be confusing and involve overwhelming paperwork. Our Case Managers can assist clients in completing necessary forms and paperwork.
19. Once in mental health care, our clients aren’t out there alone. Our Case Managers follow-up and monitor our clients to ensure that they are adhering to their mental health treatment.
20. Our clients may also receive limited individual mental health counseling.
Tomorrow, I’ll finish up my blog with some final services we can provide out clients.
Sherry Piscitella is the AIDS Council’s Director of Client Services, and is responsible for ensuring that more than 1,000 people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the 15 counties of Northeastern New York receive compassionate care. Ms. Piscitella oversees a management team responsible for the oversight of 20 case managers at four AIDS Council offices, helping them ensure quality case management and supportive services are provided to HIV-positive individuals and their families. She oversees all aspects of the AIDS Council’s client services, including case management, substance abuse services, mental health counseling and referral services, housing case management, emergency housing and utility assistance and transportation for clients. Ms. Piscitella currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Care Coordination committee of the Ryan White Care Network, which works towards improving comprehensive care and treatments for people living with HIV/AIDS throughout New York State. She also serves as a steering committee member for the Ryan White Care Network. In 2001, Sherry received the U.S. Department of Justice’s Public Service Award from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Northern District, New York) and was a member of the Rensselaer County Region Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Institute, Class of 2006.