Cempa Community Care
A staple in the Chattanooga community for 32 years, Cempa Community Care (formerly known as Chattanooga CARES) started as an education organization founded by five members of the community that worked or volunteered for hospice and saw the ramifications of the AIDS crisis up close.
Since the organization’s inception, many members of the Chattanooga community have dedicated their time, energy, and careers to helping position Cempa as a source of education for locals battling AIDS and HIV.
As the organization expanded its service offerings to meet the needs of those in the Chattanooga community—offering both education and treatment for not just HIV and AIDS but also Hepatitis C and other STIs—its team realized a rebrand was in order.
“We wanted to explore who we are, what we stand for, and Cempa is an old English word for Champion,” says CEO Shannon Stephenson. “We pride ourselves on being champions for our community, champions for your health, and we want everyone who walks in this door to know we will be the champion for their cause.”
Their vision will remain to lead the cultural movement to prevent and cure infectious disease with their resources and outreach.
“The biggest impact the community needs to be aware of is that being undetectable is untransmittable,” says CEO Shannon Stephenson. “What that means is if you are HIV positive and you are virally suppressed [taking medicine every single day], your viral load can be ‘undetectable’—which also means that per the CDC’s guidelines, you cannot transmit the virus to others. That’s huge, and a message we really need to get out.”
It’s a common misconception that from the time an individual is diagnosed with HIV, he or she will be capable of infecting others. But with routine care and a commitment to taking prescription medication every day, that individual’s viral load can become untransmittable.
Cempa is making strides in helping its patients achieve untransmittable status. Nationally, the average for HIV suppression is between 40 and 60 percent, but Cempa’s average is 91 percent suppression.
“91% of our clients cannot transmit the virus anymore,” Stephenson says. “Obviously we’ve made real accomplishments, but the challenges are far from over.”
An issue Cempa is working hard to resolve is that minority communities are still disproportionately impacted with HIV and STIs. African Americans represent 12 to 13 percent of the nation’s population, and yet they account for over 44 percent of all HIV diagnoses. In Tennessee alone, African Americans account for 16 percent of the population and 56 percent of all HIV diagnoses.
Cempa’s minority outreach manager has been speaking with the Tennessee Black Caucus, and Stephenson herself spoke to the Congressional Black Caucus health task force team in DC, offering a congressional briefing on minority impact and what Cempa is doing to help.
Beyond education and treatment, Cempa offers a unique program—known as the Integrated Care Management Program—made up of team members who are dedicated to staying engaged in their patients’ health. The program assists with everything from helping patients secure a bus pass to scheduling doctor’s appointments or helping someone who struggles to take their medications.
The program also provides admission for patients into Cempa’s Food Market, which allows access to fresh food, fruits, veggies, and more. Keeping patients healthy is the main goal, and staying engaged is a key factor in achieving that goal.
“We’re at a tipping point where we could cure this virus,” says Stephenson. “With the undetectable viral loads, combined with prevention medication and PrEP [a daily medication that can reduce your chance of getting HIV by 99%], we could end the HIV and AIDS crisis.”
According to the CDC, STIs are at an all-time high, which is why Cempa offers completely free, and confidential testing for HIV and STIs. They administer what’s known as RAPID testing that delivers results in twenty minutes. If tested positive, they can immediately link you into free treatment, regardless of insurance or lack thereof.
Overall, there is so much more information than can fit into this article. Contact Cempa, visit their office, find your voice through them, and continue the movement to end this crisis with more education, prevention, and outreach.