Community education is one of Shanti Orange County's four core programs, alongside mental health counseling, HIV case management, and psychological testing and evaluation. It extends our mission beyond the therapy room into schools, nonprofits, and neighborhoods where prevention saves lives.
What Community Education Covers
Educators address topics such as:
- HIV prevention: transmission basics, risk reduction, and where to test in OC
- Mental health awareness: recognizing stress, depression, and when to seek help
- Stigma reduction: especially for HIV and LGBTQ+ youth
- Linkage to care: how to reach Shanti intake, 988, and county clinics
Sessions are adapted for middle schools, high schools, colleges, faith communities, and workplaces. Content stays age-appropriate and factual, not fear-based.
Why Outreach Matters
Many people delay testing or counseling because of shame, misinformation, or language barriers. A trusted presentation in a familiar setting can be the first time someone learns that:
- HIV is manageable with medical care
- Mental health support exists with CalOptima and low-cost options
- Shanti offers Spanish-language pathways including Círculo Latino
Education does not diagnose or treat. It opens the door to services.
Shanti's Role vs. Clinical Partners
Shanti does not replace county health clinics or specialty testers. Our Community resources page lists partners like AltaMed, APAIT, and the LGBT Center OC for HIV/STD testing.
Shanti educators explain what testing is, why it matters, and how to find a site, then connect individuals to Shanti programs when they need ongoing support.
Funding and Community Impact
Donations and grants help keep educators in classrooms. See Ways to support Shanti if your organization wants to sponsor outreach.
For Organizations: Request a Visit
Call (949) 452-0888 or email [email protected] with:
- Organization name and audience size
- Preferred dates and format (assembly, workshop, staff training)
- Topics of concern (HIV, teen mental health, etc.)
For Individuals Seeking Help
If a presentation brought you here personally, start with First visit or read HIV testing in Orange County. You deserve more than information. You deserve connection.
The Two-Part Format
The presentation has a deliberate structure. First, a discussion led by Shanti's Sexual Health Educator. Then a presentation by a Shanti Ambassador, an individual living with HIV/AIDS who shares their personal experience and what daily life actually looks like.
The pairing is the design. Clinical information changes what students know. A person in the room changes what they do with it, and it is consistently the part students remember.
AB-329 Alignment
The program is built to help local high schools and colleges meet the California Healthy Youth Act (AB-329). Sexual education is central to informed health decisions and is a primary means of STD and HIV prevention, from both an individual and a public health standpoint.
For a school administrator, that means this is not an extracurricular add-on; it maps onto an existing statutory obligation.
Requesting a Presentation
Contact the office at 949-452-0888, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm PT, or [email protected]. Useful to have ready:
- Grade level or course, and approximate audience size
- Preferred dates and the length of your class period
- Any content parameters your district requires
Where the Ambassadors Come From
The Shanti Ambassador program is one of the ways people living with HIV/AIDS contribute to prevention work in Orange County. It sits alongside Shanti's other volunteer and internship opportunities, which include counseling practicum placements, event support, and community outreach.
If you are interested in becoming involved rather than booking a visit, ask about volunteering.
What This Program Is Not
Community education is not clinical care and not testing. Shanti does not provide HIV testing or lab work. Students who need testing should be directed to a clinic; students who need counseling can be pointed toward Shanti's mental health services, available at $65 or $100 per session by licensure, with many insurance plans including CalOptima accepted for eligible services, and via telehealth throughout California.
We also maintain a directory of Orange County clinics, testing sites, psychiatry services, and national resources.
The Longer Arc
Shanti Orange County has worked in Orange County since 1987, with a formal HIV crisis response beginning in 1993. Community education is one of four current programs, alongside mental health counseling, psychological testing and evaluation, and HIV case management.
