Crain's

,

Sharen Duke Selected Again as Crain’s Notable in Health Care

,

Crain’s New York Business has selected Alliance for Positive Change founding Executive Director and CEO Sharen Duke as a 2024 Notable in Health Care, noting that this year’s honorees “have distinguished themselves through their expertise and innovation.”Sharen was also recognized in Crain’s in 2021 as a Notable Leader in Health Care.

“Sharen Duke is executive director and chief executive officer of Alliance for Positive Change, a nonprofit that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, coaching, peer training and job placements. She oversees a team of more than 150 people while managing a multimillion dollar budget.”

You can view the full list here (subscription required for access) - https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/sharen-duke-notable-leaders-health-care-2024

Director of Administration Brooke Montes Named Notable Leader in Health Care

Crain’s New York Business has selected Alliance for Positive Change Director of Administration Brooke Montes as a 2023 Notable in Health Care, noting that this year’s honorees’ “work is vital to the functioning of the city’s health care system and the city itself.”

You can view the full list here (subscription required for access) - https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/notable-2023-leaders-health-care

In its recognition of Brooke Montes, Crain’s described Alliance’s commitment to supporting New Yorkers with chronic conditions, including issue advocacy and responsible budgeting.

“Montes drives the organization’s mission by supporting the efforts of the executive team and board with advocacy, business administration, communications, project management and program oversight. Montes meets with legislators and speaks out to ensure continued access to such services for under-resourced communities.”

Brooke Montes began as an intern at Alliance 15 years ago. She has translated her passion for social justice and health promotion into a decade-plus-long career, supporting New Yorkers on their chosen pathway to positive change.

,

Alliance Executive Director/CEO Sharen Duke Selected as Crain’s Notable in Health Care

,

Crain’s New York Business has selected Alliance for Positive Change founding Executive Director and CEO Sharen Duke as a 2021 Notable in Health Care, noting that this year’s honorees “have distinguished themselves through their expertise and innovation.”

“We cannot understate the role of the city’s healthcare professionals in helping us emerge from the pandemic,” Crain’s wrote in introducing the honorees. “This year’s Notable in Healthcare edition recognizes their efforts in bringing us to this moment, as well as their numerous contributions apart from the crisis.”

You can view the full list here (subscription required for access) - https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/notable-health-care-2021 

In its recognition of Sharen Duke, Crain’s described Alliance’s commitment to supporting New Yorkers during the pandemic, including the delivery of personal protective equipment, pantry items, nutrition information and food gift cards.

“Throughout her tenure, Duke has supported equity in health care. Alliance serves historically marginalized communities of color. Duke has pioneered peer training, peer-delivered health-access services and workforce development for HIV prevention.”

Crain’s Health Pulse: Nonprofit participating in NIH initiative to target Covid in underserved communities

June 21, 2021

A nonprofit providing support to New Yorkers living with HIV or addiction has announced an initiative to encourage Covid-19 testing in underserved communities.

The Alliance for Positive Change said it has partnered with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Argus Community on a National Institutes of Health program to engage with communities that are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. Arianne Watson, associate director at the alliance, said the effort is focused on people struggling with substance abuse.

"They're at a cross section of a lot of different vulnerabilities in which they still are at a higher risk to not only have Covid but also spread Covid," Watson said. "Screening and education are still very imperative to risk reduction."

The NIH funds the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations initiative. According to the NIH website, the $512 million RADx-UP project aims to understand the factors associated with Covid-19 morbidity and mortality and to work to reduce risk among underserved and vulnerable populations.

Two strategies will be employed for the initiative, Watson said. One is chain referral, in which study participants reach out to people in their social networks to encourage more testing. The other is Alliance Peers, which Watson described as a more traditional method. People with experience go into the community and try to get others on board to get tested, she said.

Watson said the initiative started last year, when the Alliance met with Columbia and the Psychiatric Institute to coordinate the effort. In the coming weeks, she said, they'll be going out into the community to kick off testing.

"According to the most recent New York City Department of Health Covid-19 data, the South Bronx still has some of the highest rates of Covid-19 infection in all of New York City," Daniel Lowy, deputy executive director of Argus, said in a news release. "Argus Community will be reaching those at-risk community members to know their status, provide Covid-19 health education and link those who test positive to care." —Gabriel Poblete