thePULSEMeet Michael Downs,
Director of Community Education at Health Awareness Services.
Located at 405 Grove Street, Health Awareness offers a wide range of services including free contraceptives, free HIV testing and counseling, STD testing and treatment, family planning services, and group education programs and speakers. The agency has had a long, supportive relationship with the gay community of Central Massachusetts.
“When the HIV epidemic hit in the late 80s,” says Downs, “it hit gay men.” So when Health Awareness decided to include HIV testing and counseling in its services, it knew it had to focus on that community. As a result, the agency hires gay staff and offers programs to gay and bisexual men and women.
Currently, Health Awareness offers four social and educational groups: HERE for lesbian and bi-sexual women of all ages, the Gay and Bi Men’s Group for men over 30, MPOWER for gay and bi men between the ages of 18 and 30, and SIGNS for HIV positive gay and bi-sexual men. “There are not a lot of social opportunities that don’t revolve around bars and the internet,” says Downs, “especially for young men and college students.” He says that, beginning in August, he hopes to start holding regular movie nights and that anyone interested should also keep an eye out for special events beginning in September.
“I’ve always been in social service work,” says Downs, who has worked for Health Awareness for four years. He is from a small town in New Hampshire “We just got our first stop light!” He attended Gordon College, a Christian university located on the North Shore of Massachusetts, where he studied Youth Ministry. Downs first worked in mental health at an adolescent facility in New Hampshire.
“Then I met somebody,” Downs admits, “fell in love, and moved to Worcester.” After coming here, he continued to work in the social service sector, supervising group homes for Community Healthlink. Since joining the staff at Health Awareness, Downs has become involved in both the general and gay communities of Worcester. He is currently the chair of the HIV Consortium and helped establish the HIV Memorial Garden at Park Avenue and Lovell Street. He is also a member of ENFORCERS NE, a leather group that does charity work for HIV and AIDS.
“Don’t print that,” Downs said after admitting that he is a “huge” comic collector with a collection of over 8,000 action figures. “I’ll never get a date again.” He says that his grandfather used to take him out to eat every Saturday and afterwards they would go to the corner store where he was allowed to get one or two comics. He was close with his grandfather and he says that his collection is an extension of that relationship.
“I’m a purist,” Downs said when I asked him what his favorite comic is. “I love DC – Batman, Superman, the classics.” Look for him on Wednesdays at That’s Entertainment on Park Ave.
Downs is also a fan of the Red Sox, Patriots, and WWE wrestling and is an avid hiker. He says that he just discovered Broad Meadow Brook on Massasoit Road and loves it. When I asked Downs if he had any advice for our readers, he said, “I hate getting on my soapbox.” However, he did add “…not to be afraid to ask questions. Communicate with your partners. Be open. You can’t always tell if somebody has an STD – getting tested is the best rule of thumb. Don’t be afraid of seeking treatment and services.”
HERE meets on the third Monday of every month at 7 p.m. The Gay and Bi Men’s Group meets on the fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. MPOWER meets every week on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. And SIGNS meets every week on Thursday.
Most meetings are held at Health Awareness Services, 2nd Floor, 405 Grove Street. For more information call (800) 637-5466 or (508) 756- 7123 and check out www.hascm.org.
