Columbus AIDS Task Force is a non-profit, community-based United Way agency providing vital services to those infected and affected by HIV disease. A board of trustees and a full time staff, along with a dedicated team of volunteers, supply the community with a full range of client services and prevention education programs. Begun in 1984 as a grass roots response to the AIDS pandemic, CATF has evolved from a small group of people taking care of friends into a full service agency making a difference in Central Ohio.
 

Through the Client Services Department, clients and their families are provided with case management services by seven case managers and a large network of well-trained volunteers. These services include:
 

• assessment and counseling
• guidance in accessing social services and public assistance
• legal consultations
• medical referral
• emergency financial assistance
• support groups
• a Buddy program for individual emotional support
• social activities
• household activities such as laundry, housecleaning, and grocery shopping
• respite care for primary caregivers.

Clients praise CATF Client Services staff for its caring and compassionate attitude, while also respecting its highly professional demeanor.
 

The Prevention and Education Department provides services to the community at large through public speaking, risk reduction programs, health fairs, and the Ohio AIDS Hotline. The department is responsible for the overall administration of the HIV testing program.  The Speaker's Bureau gives hundreds of general AIDS presentations each year. Risk Reduction programs are in place for people interested in changing behaviors that put them at higher risk for HIV infection. Assistance is also provided to businesses and other organizations to develop corporate HIV/AIDS policies and to train supervisors and line staff about bloodborne pathogens and industry regulations. A Resource Library with a catalogued collection and Internet access is available to promote a general understanding of HIV infection, its transmission, and prevention. The Ohio AIDS Hotline answers thousands of calls about HIV/AIDS each year. Education is seen as essential to increasing awareness and understanding of the pandemic and reducing public fear and the stigma associated with HIV infection.
 

Through volunteers, both the Client Services Department and the Prevention and Education Department are supported with hundreds of work-hours. Check out our volunteer webpage for volunteer opportunities.
 

The need for HIV/AIDS education and support services has never been more urgent. The alarming increase in cases among women, teenagers, young gay men, and minorities clearly indicates that we must do more. Yet, amid this sobering reality, there remains within the central Ohio community a heartening dedication to care, to education, and to making the fight against ignorance and apathy a health care priority. Even as governmental agendas are shifting and available public resources are dwindling, CATF and the people who make it successful (staff, volunteers, and donors) remain dedicated to expanding the Circle of Caring.