The Yellowstone AIDS Project (YAP) is a not-for-profit organization committed to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and providing prevention and client services in Montana.

Description:
The Yellowstone AIDS Project has two main programs: Prevention and Client Services.

Our Prevention Program aims to educate and prevent the risk of HIV/AIDS transmissions in the community. We conduct regular presentations at schools, Alternatives, the Women's Prison, etc., and conduct free and anonymous HIV counseling and testing.

Our Client Service Program assists our HIV+ clients and their families with housing subsidies, emergency assistance, bus passes, referrals to other agencies, and support through our newsletter and educational workshops.

History:
The Yellowstone AIDS Project (YAP) history is seeped in awareness, concern and a need for action. Since the disease did not impact many Montanans in the 1980s, it was very easy to characterize it as a disease of the cities such as San Francisco or New York City. Montana has always been a low incidence state, but these numbers don’t begin to document how many family members or friends have also been impacted.

During the early 1980’s, two distinct Billings HIV/AIDS programs developed in Billings. The first of these two programs was the Billings AIDS Support Network (BASN), which was developed in part by a local gay and lesbian group called the Yellowstone Lambda Alliance. This group began having discussions about AIDS as it was something affecting gay men in California. One of the first services BASN implemented was an AIDS hotline to answer questions. Volunteers carrying beepers and pagers staffed this hotline. The BASN focused on the hotline and support services. These services included spending time with hospitalized AIDS patients who had called the hotline for support or whose family members who requested the service. Hospice provided training for volunteers to assist with end of life care.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provided funding for AIDS prevention and testing. The CDC provided funding to the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (MDHES), now the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), which in turn funded local agencies. State and local agencies recognized the essential need for resources, awareness and education. HIV testing became available in 1985 and was provided by state grants to the local public health departments. One objective of the state grants was for the health departments to form a community task force on AIDS.

In cooperation with RiverStone Health, the second program called the Billings AIDS Task Force (BATF) was formed. The BATF provided community HIV/AIDS education that included information about the legal, medical, social and mental health aspects of HIV/AIDS. In 1986, because BASN and BATF had similar goals, the decision was made to merge the two programs. The next four years were filled with diligent work by these members to form a proactive project.

The year was 1990, mothers and fathers were losing sons and daughters and the nation was struggling to understand HIV/AIDS. Families were not willing to stand idly by. A group of concerned community members which included Paul Clark, David Herrera, Christine Nightingale, Mary Hernandez, Donna Davis, and Kurt Nelson formed the founding board of directors of the Yellowstone AIDS Project. On July 16, 1990 Yellowstone AIDS Project was incorporated was a non-profit community benefit organization. (Montana Secretary of State, 2007).
Mothers, Mary DuBray and Beryl Johnson, upon learning of their sons’ HIV disease, joined the Project in the mid 90’s. Jim Healey, a community member, worked with Beryl and Mary on a series of local televised spots entitled “Yellowstone AIDS Project: Through New Eyes.” The goal of these televised spots was to provide HIV/AIDS education and to increase community awareness and promote acceptance of those infected or at risk of becoming infected. For Jim, Yellowstone AIDS Project had a responsibility to provide accurate and current HIV/AIDS information and education. Putting a face on the disease and showing the human side of HIV/AIDS was an important mission of the Project. Many family and community members became volunteers for the Project, advocating for those living with HIV/AIDS.

In 1996, Sister Mary V. Maronick moved to Billings. Sister Mary had extensive HIV/AIDS experience while living and working in Kansas. Sister Mary worked with the Project and was instrumental in the formation of AIDSpirit, a faith based support ministry serving family members and those infected with HIV. Yellowstone AIDS Project, AIDSpirit and the RiverStone Health HIV Program worked together to address the needs of the community.

Yellowstone AIDS Project holds several events and activities throughout the year. The largest event occurs in conjunction with World AIDS Day on December 1st. It is both a fundraising event as well as an opportunity to recognize and honor individuals in the community who have had an impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The first annual World AIDS Day benefit was in 1996. Other activities during the World AIDS Day weekend include an AIDSpirit led ecumenical church service and “A Million Bells Worldwide”, in which bells are simultaneously rung around the world. This activity was started by the Jerusalem AIDS Project to honor individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS and those who have died from HIV/AIDS. However, this event is no longer world wide. Yet, in Yellowstone County, this event was so powerful to individuals and community members, each December the bells continue to ring. Finally, for World AIDS day, local artists such as Kevin Red Star, Carol Hagan, Nancy Dunlop, P.J. Smith and Elliott Eaton have created paintings inspired by HIV/AIDS. These paintings have allowed for the production of limited edition, signed prints and greeting cards from each artist. These prints and cards are made available through YAP and help to provide additional funds.

In 1994, Montana Governor Marc Racicot appointed the first Governor’s AIDS Advisory Council. The Governor’s AIDS Council has been maintained during the following administrations and continues to do important work in policy development. Montana is one of the few states with governor appointed advisory council. Yellowstone AIDS Project has worked and collaborated with the GAC to address the needs of Montanans in the fight against HIV.

YAP has grown throughout the years. Furthermore, Montana has continued their openness and leadership regarding HIV/AIDS. Awareness and Prevention campaigns and events continue to be held in the community on an annual basis. Education is an essential part of the Project’s focus of creating a learning agency. An increasing number of community members are becoming involved. YAP continues to provide new innovative activities associated with HIV and AIDS, as well as providing options for those individuals living with HIV/AIDS. One of the most important elements of the Yellowstone AIDS Project is the dedication to working collaboratively with local agencies. RiverStone Health is the grantee for federal Ryan White funding which provides access to HIV care for residents with HIV as well as support for their families. Yellowstone AIDS Project and RiverStone Health have a long history of collaboration and working together to assure that comprehensive HIV services are available. (Early Intervention Services, 2006).
Yellowstone AIDS Project has also supported and collaborated with the Montana Pride Network. Montana holds a statewide Pride event in a new city every two years. In 2007 and 2008 the statewide Pride event was held in Billings. Yellowstone AIDS Project staff were leaders in planning this exceedingly successful event in Billings on June 15th.

In 2007 and 2008, YAP continues to focus on the education aspect of the agency. Individuals with HIV/AIDS are living longer, healthier lives. These changes have demonstrated a need for Yellowstone AIDS Project to shift toward a more empowering agency. YAP strives to provide empowerment models and programs, GOALS and activities. To this extent YAP strives to look for new, innovative and stimulating methods of promoting awareness, education and compassion.

Contact person: Tasha LeClair, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (406) 294-9330

Address:

2906 First Avenue North, Suite 200 Billings, MT 59101 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.yapmt.org

Directions:

We are located on 1st Avenue North between 29th and 30th. Our entrance is between Lowell's Salon and Sweetgrass Sandwich Company, on the 2nd Floor.