Snohomish River and Historic First Street

The Snohomish County Board of Health at its February 9 meeting awarded a one-year contract to Evergreen AIDS Foundation (EAF) to continue case management of medical care for HIV/AIDS clients in Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom counties, and to add Snohomish County clients to its case load.

"Since 1982, more than 1400 people in our region have been diagnosed with HIV infection and nearly 900 of those are living with HIV today," said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health Officer and Director of Snohomish Health District. "Effective case management services are essential to assure the best medical care, which leads to improved health and decreased likelihood to spread HIV."

Based in Bellingham, EAF has provided case management in northwestern Washington since 1996. It plans to open an Everett office in April to administer the local contract previously held by Lifelong AIDS Alliance. "Evergreen AIDS Foundation is both proud and pleased to have the opportunity of providing case management and care services to persons living with HIV/AIDS in Snohomish County" said R. Ed Wilhoite, Jr., Executive Director of Evergreen AIDS Foundation. "EAF, now in its twenty-fifth year, has a long, successful history of caring for the sick, preventing new disease and increasing public awareness. We look forward to bringing this ethic of servicecompassion, commitment, communityto those affected by HIV/AIDS in all of northwest Washington."

Dr. Janine Shaw, Interfaith Community Health Center states, "The dedicated professional staff of EAF goes the extra mile to ensure those living with HIV/AIDS have the best possible care and those at-risk are tested and educated to prevent the spread of HIV."

Find details about EAF at http://www.evergreenaids.org/index.htm. The mission of the Evergreen AIDS Foundation is to foster a healthy and hopeful community response to HIV/AIDS in Northwest Washington through education, prevention and direct client services. Incorporated in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier community through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Visit us on our Web site: www.snohd.org.