What do we do
Le Cercle Orange supports people living with HIV in Montreal who do not have access to health care.
Le Cercle Orange is cost-free, and helps connect participants to medical, legal, and community resources, including access to free medication and immigration support.
I’m looking for support
How does it work?
Outreach
First, contact our team here.
Initial assessment
We will contact you for a short interview to chat about your situation, assess your needs, and determine which resources you require.
Referral & follow ups
We will refer you to medical, legal, and community resources as needed, all free of charge. We will then get in touch with you every 2-3 months to ensure you are able to access these resources and to ensure ongoing care.
Medical
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We work with several clinics and hospitals to ensure participants have access to a primary healthcare provider
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Participants are given access to free ongoing HIV treatment through pharmaceutical companies’ patient access programs
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In certain cases, participants have access to free blood work and routine tests
Community
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Le Cercle Orange refers participants to AIDS Service Organizations across Montreal
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We also work with other community organizations supporting various populations such as drug users, street-involved people, trans folks, and sex workers
Legal
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Legal information related to HIV non-disclosure, immigration, and advocacy is available
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Participants can also be referred to specialized, cost-free legal support services in Montreal to assist with immigration or health related concerns
How do our partnerships work?
Outreach & initial assessment
First, participants contact our team, which assesses their situation, needs, and determines which resources are required.
Referral & follow ups
We then refer each participant to medical, legal, and community resources that are most suited to their needs and situation.
We follow up with participants to ensure they are able to access services on an ongoing basis, and assess each participant’s access to treatment, other resources, and overall well-being as they move through the project.
Medical Partnership
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We work with family doctors specialized in HIV, and more generally with clinics and hospitals to ensure participants have access to a primary healthcare provider
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We also facilitate access to free ongoing HIV treatment through pharmaceutical companies’ patient access programs
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In certain cases, our partnerships allow us to provide participants with access to free blood work and routine tests
Legal Partnership
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We partner with legal organizations to provide access to specialized, cost-free legal support services in Montreal. These organizations assist our participants with immigration or health related concerns
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We also refer participants to organizations that can provide information and guidance related to HIV non-disclosure in Quebec and Canada
Community Partnership
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Le Cercle Orange partners with many AIDS Service Organizations across Montreal which provide community resources, food security programs, social activities, peer support, and many other services
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We also work with community organizations which support specific populations such as drug users, street-involved people, trans folks, and sex workers
We are currently in the process of formalizing partnerships with several more community organizations, medical clinics, hospitals, and legal services.
Please contact us here if you would like to contribute to le Cercle Orange.
General information
Why create “Le Cercle Orange”?
Hundreds of people living with HIV in Montreal do not have access to a RAMQ card. This group can include immigrants without status, transient folks without documentation, international students, and temporary workers.
It is often impossible for individuals in these groups to enter the healthcare system or pay for essential services. Resources for this population have existed in Montreal but have been limited, disconnected, and difficult to navigate.
Le Cercle Orange responds to the needs of this population by assembling existing resources to create a sustainable, city-wide network of care and support, and by guiding participants towards appropriate services within the network.
How it works
Le Cercle Orange supports participants in three ways:
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by creating and streamlining one network of support comprised
of existing services;
by referring individuals to services through the network; and,
by providing regular follow-up for long-term care.
The project was officially launched in early 2020, and is supported by ViiV Healthcare. The project is housed at COCQ-SIDA, and proudly supports many people living with HIV.
Le Cercle Orange promotes “95-95-95” UNAIDS targets and the “Montréal sans sida” initiative.
COLLABORATORS
Our valued partnerships enable us to continue referring people to receive ongoing care.
Please contact us if you or someone you know could benefit from our support, or if you would like to contribute to Le Cercle Orange.
Our team
Félix Nininahazwe – Cercle Orange Coordinator
Félix manages the participant side of Le Cercle Orange, coordinating intakes, follow-ups and referrals, and providing ongoing support to our participants, and evaluating the project’s success. He also manages community, legal and medical partnerships.
Félix has been working in the field of HIV/AIDS since 2006. He has worked within networks and community organizations engaged in the fight against AIDS in Burundi, and was a member of the Advisory Committee of GAP-VIES, an organization that offers various services in the fight against AIDS in Montreal. Félix’s professional career in the field of AIDS control programs and promotion of community health was strengthened through internships and training in the United Kingdom, South Africa, the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Benin, Rwanda, and Kenya. Félix is excited to contribute his expertise to Le Cercle Orange, furthering his commitment to improving access to medical, community and legal services for individuals and their families living with HIV who do not have access to health care.