NATIONAL TELEPHONE SUPPORT GROUPS - A NEW AVENUE TOWARD PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FOR HIV-INFECTED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

The complexity of psychosocial needs that HIV-infected children and their families confront makes innovative approaches for group support a necessity. In response, National Telephone Support Groups were developed for children, non-infected siblings, infected and noninfected mothers, infected and non-infected fathers, foster parents and grandparents. As each group was recorded and transcribed this article is a preliminary step towards identifying and reporting the psychosocial challenges of living with HIV and die impact of the group on individual members. The initial organization of the groups, the format, content, structure and practical considerations, such as cost and accessibility are described. The results of pre and post test questionnaires examining isolation and group usefulness are also presented in this article.