Introduction

Hello,

I wanted to indroduce myself to readers of CARE Knowledge Blog. My name is Michael Buitron, and I've been working in HIV research and care for nearly twenty years. I started working with hard-to-reach populations--non-gay identified men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users, their partners, and commercial sex workers. Later I worked on Project Respect at the Long Beach Health Department's STD clinic, working to find the most effective counseling in conjunction with HIV testing. After that I coordinated Ready for Action and started Listo para Accion, multi-level HIV interventions for gay and bi men. A few years later I traveled around California with other staff of Cal State Long Beach Center for Behavioral Research and Services, helping local health jurisdictions incorporate effective prevention into their existing programs. I had the opportunity to present our findings at international conferences in Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

I also spent five years working in the HIV Mental Health Department at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center on a project helping folks on disability return to work and another year conducting data analysis on a study of HIV and aging at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 

Besides my professional life, I've also pursued my interest in art, and have my master's in fine art from California Institute of the Arts. Currently I write reviews and critical analysis of contemporary art practices on line and in local print publications. 

I'm excited to be here at the CARE Program, blogging about news and events around the CARE Program, as we mark our twenty-fifth year of providing comprehensive HIV services in Long Beach and the South Bay. I also plan to post other news of interest related to HIV and the provision of services. If you'd like to reach me, make suggestions, or leave comments, my email is michael.buitron@chw.edu.