The Turning Point program is deseigned to provide prevention educattion and testing, obtain information on knowledge at the beginning and set time points later and develop test and evaluate interventions designed to change behaviors. The Turning Point is a group-based Intervention designed to reduce HIV infection risk by helping participants recognize the benefits of specific HIV risk reduction behaviors. This is done by: First participants would be offered Pre-Test Counseling with an option to test for HIV if they decide to. The testing for the Turning Point Intervention is free abd is done on site at MotherLand, Inc. or at other agency sites. This makes it easier for those who decide to test to actually go through with that decision.

A group session follows the pre-test counseling, where participants are taught about HIV/AIDS risk reduction. After the post-test counseling there is an opportunity to participate in 3 more group sessions wher the focus is on how to identify at risk behaviors and how to reduce them. These seswsions are on HIV/AIDS pathology. Drug Addiction and HIV/AIDS, and Safer Sex and Relationships for Men and Women.

All the group sessions are very interactive involving role-play and hands-on demonstrations. Various scenarios are created for participants to use in the role-play, which make it easier to identify at-risk behaviors everyday situations. The use of role-plays make it easier for participants to apply risk reduction methods to their handling of such issues. Demonstrations are also done for proper condom use and cleaning of the works for Injection Drugs User (IDU).

For the past two years, MotherLand, Inc. has been conducting the Turning Point program and over 300 participants have completed the Intervention and have shown a change in knowledge, attitude and behavior.