About Us
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- KEEPING IT REAL
CHJ's new substance abuse education program, "Keeping it Real" will provide critical HIV and substance abuse education through a rotating series of six workshops in jail units that house self-identified gay men (the "K6G Unit" of Men's Central Jail) and women who are housed at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF).
- CHJ's WOMEN'S PEER EDUCATION PROGRAM
CHJ's Women's Peer Education Program (WPEP), our first treatment-focused intervention with positive women, will meet the unmet education and healthcare access needs of HIV+ and at-risk women in the L.A. County Jail. The goal of WPEP is to educate and empower HIV+ women to stay healthy and advocate for their own healthcare, both during incarceration and after release.
History
From CorrectHELP to Center For Health Justice
Founded in 2000 by advocates with over 20 years of experience in the field, the Corrections HIV Education & Law Project (CorrectHELP) was the result of the realization that HIV+ prisoners in Los Angeles and California as a whole were underserved by existing AIDS service groups, prisoner advocacy, and public health organizations. To address this problem, CHJ was originally founded as a non-profit project of the Tides Center, to focus on the needs of HIV+ prisoners in California.
Originally envisioned as an education and civil rights project, CorrectHELP conveyed the goal of the organization's founder to work collaboratively and, whenever possible, help to improve conditions for HIV+ prisoners.
Six years later, the organization has evolved into a trusted HIV service provider in correctional facilities and a national thought leader on HIV corrections issues, including the provision of condoms to prisoners.
Although originally focused on "HIV Education & Law," CorrectHELP's work grew to address other infectious diseases such as Hepatitis. During this period, CorrectHELP also became an independent legal non-profit corporation, and ceased being just a "project." At that time the Board decided a name change was in order, held a retreat, did some brainstorming, and "Center For Health Justice" was born. With this new name, we have the opportunity to coin a phrase and start a movement, following in the footsteps of Environmental Justice activists. "Health Justice" means recognizing that prisoner health is public health, and working to eliminate health disparities between prisoners and the communities in which we all live.
Founding Board Member: Stan Price, JD
Herb Blake (1947-2012)
Restorative Justice Leader, CHJ Board Vice Chairman, Teacher, and Friend, we will miss you.
