New York

Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities
One Commerce Plaza, Room 1603
Albany, NY 12234
Toll Free: (800)222-5627
vesidadm@mail.nysed.gov

Employment Resources:

Actor's Fund/AIDS Training and Education Program

African Services Committee
This organization states that "African Services Committee is a nonprofit organization based in Harlem and dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of the African community in New York City. We provide health, housing, legal and social services to more than 10,000 newcomers each year focusing on HIV prevention, testing, care and advocacy." Part of the services include employment counseling and life skills training.

The Alpha Workshops

Bailey House
Bailey House's mission statement is: " Bailey House's commitment is to empower people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones and the communities and agencies that serve them to achieve their fullest potential through the development and provision of housing and vital services." Part of these services include vocational training and job placement.

CAMBA
"CAMBA is a Brooklyn-based non profit organization with programs throughout the diverse neighborhoods of Brooklyn. CAMBA was founded as a merchants association in 1977, but in direct response to the emerging needs of the Brooklyn community, has steadily expanded its services. CAMBA has grown into a full-service, community-based organization providing a continuum of employment, education, health-related, housing, legal, social, business development and youth services to approximately 30,000 individuals each year." Persons living with HIV or AIDS are part of the population that CAMBA serves.

Gay Men's Health Crisis

Harlem United Community AIDS Center, Inc.
The mission of this organization is " To provide 100% access to quality HIV/AIDS care for all our clients, regardless of race, socio-economic status, or sexual orientation;". Employment services are offered.

Housing Works

HIV/AIDS Legal Services:

Legal Action Center
Provides legal services to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Defend against discrimination, specifically by employers.

New York State Interagency Task Force on HIV/AIDS
Mission: "New York State government agencies are committed to providing a comprehensive and coordinated statewide response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic through community-based prevention activities, equal access to high quality health care and support services, and strong confidentiality and anti-discrimination protections." Part of these services include helping HIV -infected welfare recipients find and maintain appropriate employment.

Research:

Predictors of employment of men with HIV/AIDS: a longitudinal study.
Objective: To identify patterns and predictors of work status and number of hours employed in a group of men with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Methods: A total of 141 participants had semiannual neuropsychiatric, psychosocial, and medical assessments over a period of 30 months. These six occasions provided the basis for identifying patterns of employment (part-time, full-time, or unemployed). Those who completed neuropsychological testing, introduced at visit 4, constitute the sample used to identify predictors of number of hours employed, using multiple regression analysis with mixed procedure. Results: Over 30 months, 20% were continuously employed full-time, another 9% were continuously employed part-time, and 40% were continuously unemployed. Employment status changed for 31%: 4% who worked at baseline stopped, 13% started or increased their hours, 8% decreased their hours, and 6% showed a fluctuating pattern. The major parameters consistently associated with unemployment or partial employment, in order of influence, were financial (disability benefits), psychiatric (past/current diagnosis of major depression and /or dysthymia), medical (physical limitations), cognitive (executive function), and education. In contrast, age, ethnicity, laboratory markers of HIV illness status, vocational rank, and past or current substance dependence did not predict work status. Conclusions: Overall, those who worked continued to work. However, despite improved health, most men who were unemployed at study baseline did not return to work. Structure of disability benefits, lifetime depressive disorder, physical limitations, and impairment in some areas of cognitive function each appear to represent significant barriers to work. Returning to work is evidently difficult, and clinicians may keep this in mind when recommending leaving work unless medically necessary. Specific interventions and policy changes regarding disability benefits may be needed to promote return to work for people with HIV/AIDS whose health is restored and who contemplate re-employment.

Factors associated with employment among Latinos living with HIV/AIDS
Note: this article does not appear to be specific to New York
Recent epidemiological statistics suggest that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) disproportionately affect Latinos in the United States (CDC, 2004). For instance, while Latinos currently constitute 14% of the United States population, they comprise 18% of new HIV and 20% of new AIDS cases (CDC, 2004). Similarly, in 2000 the rate of HIV infection per 100,000 Latinos was 22.5, more than three times that of Whites (CDC, 2002b). Yet, despite these statistics few studies have explored the impact of HIV/AIDS on this population.