AIDS Project Los Angeles

Jeesh! This place is bureaucracy hell. I am a client and have been for a number of years and for a lot of grief and forms, I get a few hours of cleaning help in my apartment. To get this help, a nurse and social worker come to my apartment every 8 weeks (and drive up and get reimbursed for their travel expenses from Long Beach) and go through every doctor appointment and health issue I have had since I saw the APLA people last. Mind you, its always about the same; I have on average 40 to 75 doctor appointments per year. «Did you see this doctor?» Yes. Check box. «Did you see that doctor?» YES check box Did you get your annual TB test so we can come to your home? YES…
On May 13^th a Friday, at 4:30 pm in the afternoon, I received a notice from the Department of Health Services that I needed to complete a MEDI-​Cal update form and it needed to be received no later than Monday 5/​16t or I might lose my Medi-​Cal benefits. I sent out e-​mails to my nurse and social worker that I needed assistance with this urgently, as Medi-​Cal is notoriously problematic. My case worker got back to me very quickly (within 24 hours actually) and said that he had notified the benefits specialist at APLA that I needed help and that the specialist would contact me to set up an appointment. In the meantime, over the next 10 days (and all related to the MEDI-​Cal ⁵⁄₁₃ notice) I contacted and obtained information related to my Medicare Part D, Medicare Part B, the social security office, recertified my ADAP and made and completed an appointment with the Department of Health Services without any assistance from APLA at all. This was done and completed by Wednesday May 25^th. On Friday, May 27^th, the benefits specialist called me and left a message that I should call her to set up an appointment so that she could assist me with the problem (which she knew about on or before May 16^th. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO CALL ME JUST TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, WHICH WAS NO LONGER NECESSARY… To add insult to injury, had I made that appointment, I would have had to apply for APLA services as if I was not even a client. Proof of this and proof of that, even though I’m already a client. DONATE ELSEWHERE. THEY ARE A BLOATED MESS! The same day that I got the phone call from the benefits person, I got a message from my case worker that he had found a new position and was leaving. They can’t keep their employees because they are such a disaster. AHHHHHHHHHH

My doctor had enlisted them for in home assistance and housing. APLA was supposed to make monthly visits but did not making u feel like just another number on their rosters so they can get their funding from the county. Their housing specialists are not trained and have no idea of how their resources work. They use CHIRP which is only updated occasionally. They have no idea of the section on market rates which is an important element to that site. In all, stay away. What was once a good organization has become a black hole.

It began as a good cause in the early days of the dread epidemic but sadly, the business of AIDS has affected the general care for these individuals stricken with this terrible fatal disease. The bureaucracy in receiving help from APLA is overwhelming! The people who work there are more concerned with having birthday parties for co-​workers, playing on their smart phones, texting or talking on the phones with there friends, family etc… The reality is they are lucky to have jobs, period! APLA continues to lose money from donations etc… It is not surprising as the clients are happy to spread the work that this once noble organization is in dire need a serious overhaul. Fire the lazy people working there who are more interested in collecting a salary and get people who actually care and want to help the poor people who come to APLA for assistance for various reason.

The most amazing experience you will ever have. They train coach potatoes to run marathons. And well. Implementing the Jeff Galloway method (look it up), they are with you every step of the way (literally) and you learn about running, giving, sharing and fundraising. Sure, you pay a nominal fee and have to do a bit of fundraising, but the good cause is inspirational as is the enthusiasm from the great staff. Change your life.