Not just a house. A home and a family.

St. Philip House a program of  is not a single place. In fact, it is best described as a doorway to an improved life. St. Philip House is a program that addresses the housing and social service needs of people whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS in the Central Connecticut area.  Learn more about us...

Latest News

African-Americans Still Disproportionately Affected by HIV

June 5, 2018 -  UConn Communications

African-Americans are still much more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than white Americans. A new review paper on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African-American community, published in Springer’s Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, shows that despite recent drops in HIV diagnoses across every population in the U.S., there are still great disparities between ethnic groups. The team publishing the paper, was led by Dr. Cato T. Laurencin of UConn Health.

A decade ago, Laurencin and his team published a call for action paper that highlighted high numbers of HIV diagnoses in the African-American community. The new follow-up paper draws on data from surveys such as the 2010 United States Census and the 2016 HIV Surveillance Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Worryingly, the paper’s analysis shows that the trends highlighted 10 years ago have continued, and in some regards worsened. For male and female populations in 2016, Blacks were 8.4 times more likely than whites to be diagnosed with HIV, whereas in 2005 they were 7.9 times more likely. Specifically, the number of Black males diagnosed with the disease in 2005 was 9,969 and increased by 29 percent to 12,890 in 2016.

We believe that a concerted, re-dedicated effort – as seen with other national health emergencies, such as the opioid crisis – can create meaningful change in the decade to come. — Dr. Cato Laurencin

Black male-to-male sexual contact was the most common form of transmission of HIV, and the number of men that have sex with men who were diagnosed with HIV increased 154 percent, from 4,020 in 2005 to 10,233 in 2016. Laurencin and his team point out that if this trend continues, one in two Black men who engage in sexual contact with men will receive an HIV diagnosis in their lifetimes.

The number of African-American females diagnosed with HIV through heterosexual contact increased by 75 percent from 2,392 in 2005 to 4,189 in 2016, and there was also a 76 percent increase in HIV diagnoses among heterosexual Black men in the same time period.

“It is clear that much more needs to be done to address the fact that African-Americans continue to be overrepresented across all categories of transmission,” says Laurencin.

Laurencin and his team recommend a five-fold plan aimed at healthcare practitioners and community advocates. The plan includes working to eliminate prejudices and unconscious biases when treating patients and employing new technology and techniques to help prevent or eradicate HIV/AIDs. Working toward reducing secondary factors such as incarceration rates, poverty, STDs, and other circumstances that increase the chances of contracting HIV is another recommendation.

“While higher rates of poverty and prevalence of negative socio-economic determinants in the African-American community are important underlying factors,” says Laurencin, “we believe that a concerted, re-dedicated effort – as seen with other national health emergencies, such as the opioid crisis – can create meaningful change in the decade to come.”

St. Philip House, a program of Chrysalis Center, hosts Plainville Community Services Providers Group

Members of the group meet monthly to discuss many of the following items:

• Information and Referral Services 

• Assessment Services 

• Advocacy Services 

• Case Management Services 

• Assistance with Other Agency Applications 

• Screening for Plainville Food Bank, Fuel Bank and Holiday Program Referrals 

• Screening for the T.P. Strong Fund 

• Screening for and Provision of Emergency Assistance to residents to prevent Hunger, Homelessness and Illness 

• Consultation & Assistance to Other Town Departments and Community Agencies on Social Service Matters 

• Child & Elderly Protective Services Referrals 

• Assisting in Probate Court and Residents with Social Service Matters

St. Philip House was honored to have the Plainville Community Providers choose their offices for this important monthly meeting. Please contact us should you need more information concerning any of the services offered by St. Philip House or Chrysalis Center.

Representative from Chrysalis Center on behalf of St. Philip House attended the 110th Awards Dinner and Annual meeting of the Plainville Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, April 24th.

The Annual Dinner recognizes businesses and individuals who have supported both chamber and community activities, programs and events. 

This year we are proud to recognize the following people:

Beautification Award: U-Haul Moving & Storage of Pinnacle Rock

Business of the Year: Farmington Bank

Distinguished Community Leader Award: Shirley Osle, Assistant Town Manager

Distinguished Families in Business Award: Tabitha Wazorko Manafort, Principle, TWM Development and Quinn Wazorko Christopher, CEO, M&T Transmission

Distinguished Women in Business Award: Jane A. Carney, Painting & Decorating Inc.

Non-Profit Organization of the Year: The Rotary Club of Plainville

Chrysalis Center, on behalf of its St. Philip House program, was honored to support the event and those who were recognized.

2018 AIDS Awareness Day

St. Philip House employees and clients attended an  AIDS Awareness Day rally on the North Steps of the Capitol Wednesday, April 18th. The event was sponsored by AIDS Connecticut and was intended to raise awareness and to urge the General Assembly to maintain state spending for AIDS programs.

The rally was in support of stopping the cutting of funds by the legislature in relation to AIDS programs. According to theDepartment of Health, there are currently over 10,000 individuals living with the condition in Connecticut. 

Dr. Mathilde Krim (July 9, 1926 - January 15, 2018)
Mathilde Krim, who crusaded against the scourge of AIDS with appeals to conscience that raised funds and international awareness of a disease that has killed more than 39 million people worldwide, died on Monday at her home in Kings Point, N.Y. She was 91. Read More..

A Recent Client Success
Kenny (not his real name) has been successfully advocating for himself in recent months. He has stated this is a journey to find himself. He attends a large percentage of our scheduled activities which is great as he was one of the people that was initially vocal about not wanting Chrysalis to take over the program.  Read More...