Help From the Family Circle of Support
Ms. Smith is a 39-year-old single mother of two wonderful children. When she was referred to the Family Circle of Support Program, she was receiving health care services from two primary health care providers. Her Family Circle of Support Program Family Care Coordinator assisted Ms. Smith in coordinating services from these clinics and she now receives all of her health care services at one site.
Ms. Smith was first diagnosed with HIV over 10 years ago after her second child, a daughter, tested HIV positive at birth. Ms. Smith and the children had also been abandoned by her husband at the time.
Her daughter continued to be treated with anti-virus medication through an injection device connected to her midsection until age twelve. Now thirteen, she is receiving counseling from Family Circle of Support Program in order to understand and cope with all that has happened to her. Their Family Care Coordinator is educating the family with treatment-adherence techniques.
Ms. Smith’s older son has recently been diagnosed as obese and has been referred to a specialized clinic for this condition. He has also been evaluated for mental health needs. His mother feels that it has made a world of difference. He has been displaying fewer behavioral issues in school since the beginning of the school year.
Ms. Smith has been hospitalized numerous times in the past year and is currently considering future planning for her children’s care. After her most recent discharge from the hospital, her children began to display anxiety-related behaviors at home and in school, and are being re-evaluated for their mental heath needs. Ms. Smith currently plans to take part in program services designed to cope with the stresses related to her decision to disclose her health status to her family and friends, in order to begin planning for the children’s future care.