Golden Rule Services
Over 24 Years of History
Golden Rule Services (GRS) was founded in the year 2000 in response to a gap in local culturally competent services provided to People of Color communities in Sacramento County, and to resolve disproportionate health, education, employment and criminal justice disparities experienced within those communities.
In August 2000, GRS expanded the agency’s programmatic focus to health disparities by piloting a MSM HIV education and prevention project. GRS has since evolved from a small HIV prevention pilot into providing a variety of free
award-winning, high impact HIV/AIDS, and STD, education and prevention services in Sacramento County for over 24 years.
GRS have always been in alignment with the latest HIV/AIDS prevention strategies set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2000, Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBT populations have and continue to remain our highest priority in our sexual health services
Our HIV, STI and HCV outreach, testing and education services are in alignment with the priority populations and strategies outlined in the 2022 National HIVAIDS Strategy and the California State Office of AIDS 2022-2025 Integrated Plan.
The interventions we have implemented include:increasing rapid HIV testing, enrolling high risk priority populations on PrEP; expediting newly diagnosed clients into HIV care, increasing availability of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea screenings, providing our clients with the cultural humility and trauma-informed care they deserve, we are working to: reduce new HIV infections; increase access to care and for people living with HIV, reduce HIV-related health disparities; and end the HIV and STD epidemics in Sacramento County.
Founder of Golden Rule Services
Our Mission
The mission of Golden Rule Services is to resolve health, education, employment and criminal justice disparities within BIPOC communities through the provision of culturally competent programs and resources.
Vision Statement
Attainment of optimum health, educational and employment of all BIPOC communities.
Strategic Intent
As infrastructure is built in one community of color, we will expand into other communities of color where the needs are greatest, integrating programs as we expand. By 2026, we will be the premier minority based, multi-service nonprofit organization in Sacramento, California with a strong reputation of providing a variety of accessible, affordable and research programs to BIPOC communities.
Agency Philosophy
Services are most effective when they are culturally competent, age appropriate, research based and are accessible, affordable and comprehensive.
Agency Motto
“Treat others that way you want to be treated, but even BETTER.”
Agency Credibility and Capacity
Golden Rule Services is recognized as a key informant and gatekeeper in Sacramento County’s BIPOC communities. Golden Rule Services board members and staff have and continue to provide technical assistance to the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services’ HIV Education and Prevention Program. Staff has and continues to sit on Sacramento Alliance to Prevent AIDS (SAPA), the regional Ryan White HIV Services Planning Council, the California AIDS Clearinghouse Advisory Council and the Office of Minority Health Resource Center’s HIV Advisory Board.
Our Approach
Our programs are developed with evidenced-based and “best practice” research. In compliance with national guidelines, we use epidemiology, program evaluation, behavioral science theories, and methodologies in the development of our programs. We are ensure that all of our programs are developed to address the social determinants of health of our clients. Lastly, also incorporate good old fashion tender loving care which our clients have come to love and appreciate.
In accordance to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National AIDS Strategy and High-Impact Prevention approach, the specific program’s purpose is to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV, reduce HIV-related health disparities, and to implement cost-effective interventions in the geographic areas hardest hit by HIV and among the most severely infected and affected local target audiences.
In compliance with the CDC’s current “High-Impact Prevention” approach, GRS is implementing programs and services among the most severely infected and affected target populations in Sacramento including People of Color (BIPOC), women, men who have sex with men, sex industry workers, transgenders, injection drug users and stimulant users and people living with HIV/AIDS.
GRS respectfully works to not replicate and duplicate serving the same target populations of other local HIV/AIDS service providers. GRS is known and respected for filling HIV/AIDS prevention gaps that other local HIV/AIDS service providers have not addressed. Our HIV/AIDS prevention services were created “by” and “for” the target populations we serve. All of our home grown HIV interventions were designed with feedback from local target audience focus groups and key informant interviews including the Men’s Soul Food Project, the Son-Shine Project, the Kalifia Project, the BOOTSTRAP project, the Entre Hombres Project and Lambda Lounge.