RAP, Inc.’s 38th Anniversary Festival    Draws Record Participation

Rap, Inc Through the Years

A record crowd came out to celebrate RAP’s 38 years of providing substance abuse treatment and recovery services to men and women in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  The photo gallery captured RAP events, families and supporters through the years.  The Festival was held on Sunday, September 30, 2007 in Langdon Park, 20th & Franklin Streets, N. E. 

For more information on RAP, Inc., click here to listen to WPFW-FM.  The host of Metro Talk, Gloria Minot interviews RAP, Inc. Administrator Kwame Roberts.

RAP also delivers comprehensive HIV prevention, education and treatment services and used the festival venue to highlight HIV testing to help stem the rising rate of HIV infections in the District of Columbia, now the highest of any major city in the country.  64 people took advantage of free HIV testing at the Festival.

The connection between injection drug use and HIV has been well documented over the past few years.  The connection exists not only because of the practice of sharing needles but also because of the risky sexual behavior all substance abusers may engage in. 

RAP, Inc.’s Medical Director Dr. John Hogan commented on the importance of HIV testing.  He said, “All individuals need to know their HIV status.  Once they know, they modify their behavior.  And this behavior modification will lead to a decrease in the incidence of HIV.”  He continued, “Right now, it’s estimated that 1/3 of the 1-1.2 million people in the country who are HIV positive do not know it.  It’s also estimated that this unaware 1/3 is responsible for three quarters of the new HIV cases.  Our best chance of getting a handle on this disease is for people to understand that this is a behavior driven disease.  That means when individuals change their behavior, their risk of contracting HIV decreases.”

Click here for additional information from Dr. Hogan on HIV/AIDS.

Click here for HIV Powerpoint Presentation