by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
A two-day conference, sponsored by the Minority AIDS Coalition, will begin Thursday at the Radisson.
“It will be to increase awareness, and it’s for individuals who might be at risk for HIV,” said Robert Bencivenga, formerly a senior staff attorney with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. “The concentration of the coalition is to deal with the HIV problem, which has spread in the minority community at a rapid rate, more rapidly than for the rest of the country.”
On the schedule are an HIV prevention workshop, a health workshop of CDC initiatives, and a presentation by Patricia Ware, a special assistant to the assistant secretary of health in Washington, D.C.
There will be a presentation by the Rev. Edwin C. Sanders II, from Metropolitan Interdenominational Church of Nashville, Tenn. The title of his speech is “Inspiration to the Faith Community in the Battle of HIV and AIDS.”
Also in attendance will be Derya Williams, executive director of River Region Human Services. She has been active with HIV programs since the 1980s “and has made many trips to Africa to spread information and education about the problem,” Bencivenga said.
“There will be programs dealing with how to live with HIV and function in your best way possible,” he said.
Bencivenga, who has worked in Legal Aid for more than 20 years, will conduct two advance directives workshops during the summit.
“The advance directives involve planning for your future in terms of preparing a living will, naming a health care surrogate and, if you want to, giving someone durable power of attorney,” said Bencivenga, now in private practice in Stuart.
He has maintained his ties to the region and still serves on the board of the Minority AIDS Coalition. He has taken part in several conferences, which are held each year in Jacksonville.
“There will also be a lot of vendors there, primarily those in the health area,” he said.
Bencivenga was named to the Metropolitan Jacksonville Area HIV Health Service Planning Council by Mayor Ed Austin when the organization was formed in October 1994. He was reappointed by Mayor John Delaney and served as co-chair for two years.
The approximately 25 members of the council were responsible for supervising Title 1 funds, used to supplement the needs of individuals with HIV/AIDS.
Those supplements may help with medical or legal needs.
Deadra Green, co-chair of the council, will chair the summit.
While at Legal Aid, Bencivenga helped start the Ryan White Legal project, which prepares directives for people representing those with HIV/AIDS in civil matters from bankruptcy to consumer issues.
“When I was at Legal Aid, I was working in health and disability law,” he said. “It was a natural segue to working with people with HIV/AIDS.”
These days, he practices disability and health law, and represents senior citizens.
Registration starts at 9 a.m., and the cost will be $175 at the door. For information, call Pernell Martin at 244-9261.