Boulder County AIDS Project

Background Statement

BCAP was founded in 1985, after Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) staff gathered local LGBTQ opinion leaders to strategize how to best respond to the widespread panic and misinformation about HIV/AIDS. From its inception, BCAP’s core values of compassion, inclusivity, person-centeredness, collaboration, and accountability have guided agency operations, messaging, and programming.

BCAP began operations with volunteers answering an HIV information line and supporting ~50 people living with HIV (PLHIV). In 1988, BCAP was designated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and launched its own food pantry, serving low-income PLHIV and their households. In 1989 BCAP hired its first staff, and in 1990 received Ryan White CARE Act funding to provide case management and emergency financial assistance for basic needs, including housing, to PLHIV. In these early years, licensed psychotherapists and attorneys began providing pro bono services to PLHIV through case manager referrals.

Highly effective HIV treatment became available in 1995. BCAP’s focus expanded from helping PLHIV prepare to die to helping PLHIV access and stay engaged in medical care/treatment. In 2003, BCAP began offering HIV counseling, testing, and referrals (CTR). The HIV/hepatitis C (HCV) syndemic led BCAP to expand services to include HCV education/testing in 2008 and syringe access in 2013. In 2020, BCAP established the first food pantry in the Boulder region for people who use and/or inject drugs (PWU/ID). In 2021, BCAP began providing comprehensive Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Services and STI testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.

BCAP has expanded to a budget of $1.68 million and up to 15 FTE: seven HIV Care Services, four Prevention Services, two Administration, and two Development. All of BCAP services are provided free of charge to the people who access them. With offices in Boulder since 1985 and Longmont since 2006, BCAP is the only HIV Service Organization serving Boulder, Broomfield, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties.