Press Release
MAY 15th, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT: TIM O’CONNOR
PHONE:561-355-3576
FAX:561- 355-3035
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TALLAHASSEE, FL-
Coretha Smith a Palm Beach
County Health Department
Employee working in the
correctional facilities
located in western Palm
Beach County was recognized
with the Red Ribbon Award
for her insight into the
formation and implementation
of the HIV/AIDS Peer
Education Program.
Smith began HIV testing and counseling through the Health
Department in 1990 at the
Sheriff’s Drug Farm Program
in the Glades Correctional
Facility. Through the years
she recognized a need for
greater education among the
infected inmate population
and by 1997 created the
HIV/AIDS Peer Education
Program which is now
considered a model program
for inmates and prison
staff.
Peer Education is designed to educate inmates about the
HIV/AIDS epidemic, heighten
moral values, inspire
behavioral changes, and
ultimately reduce HIV
transmission through the
knowledge of positive
behavior change. Currently,
there are 120-130 Peer
Education Classes and four
to five support groups that
meet monthly at the South
Bay Correctional Facility.
Smith continues to expand her program work as she recently
added deaf inmates to become
peer educators. As a result,
Palm Beach County is able to
transfer other deaf inmates
to participate in the
programs established at the
western correctional
facilities.
Health Department Director, Jean M. Malecki, M.D., said,
“Coretha (Smith) is totally
dedicated to improving the
lives of those infected with
HIV/AIDS in our community.
She has made tremendous
strides in preventing the
spread of this disease. I am
truly honored to call her a
colleague.”
Smith joins other Red Ribbon Awardees from the art and
entertainment community as
well as Congressman Alcee
Hastings, Sheriff Ken Jenne,
and Peter Deutsch.
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