Programs

Think Tank Reports

The Flowers Heritage Foundation partners with community organizations and health departments throughout the nation to sponsor "A Vision of Thoughtful Change" Think Tanks. A group of HIV/AIDS key leaders, stakeholders, advocates, consumers of programs and services, and policy makers gather with the goal of addressing issues related to reaching, screening, linking, and serving potential HIV clients. Significant discussions occur in a unique and innovative environment and are facilitated by renowned public health educators.

The model used to generate the qualitative discussions create an open environment, free from financial restraints and political ramifications, in which participants candidly assess what is working and what is not working in HIV/AIDS care, delivery, services, and policy from their current personal and professional perspective. Through small groups work, participants hone their points of view, integrate and crystallize ideas, and morph recommendations to present to the larger group process. In the large group, participants process, prioritize, and qualify their recommendations for final group consensus.

The Think Tanks experience raises issues related to best practices in municipal HIV collaborations; provides a forum for shared knowledge in HIV screening, health services, and prevention programs; promotes diverse HIV practice models; and increases public and professional understanding of HIV service delivery and public health goals relevant to different audiences and their needs on a community-wide scale. "A Vision of Thoughtful Change" Think Tanks have been held in Oakland, Houston, Miami, and South Africa with successful programs being implemented in those cities as a direct result.

In the two years since that initial think tank, other jurisdictions and national organizations have replicated its model as all seek to influence the development of a national AIDS strategy.

Think Tank Reports

Event	Location	Date	Report
Toward Global Routinization of HIV Testing: Cape Town Meeting Report	South Africa	July 22, 2009	(3.5MB)
Toward a Vision of Thoughtful Change A Think Tank Experience - Report of Proceedings	Miami, FL, USA	Feb 17-18, 2009	(0.8MB)
A Vision of Thoughtful Change, Satellite Session presented at the XVII International AIDS Conference	Mexico City, MX	Aug 4, 2008	(0.7MB)
Toward a Vision of Thoughtful Change A Think Tank Experience - Report of Proceedings	Houston, TX, USA	April 17-19, 2009	---
A Vision of Thoughtful Change Facilitated by Robert E. Fullilove, EdD	Oakland, CA, USA	June 6-7, 2008	(0.6MB)