Multicultural Aids Coalition Inc

COMPREHENSIVE HIGH-IMPACT HIV PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS - MULTICULTURAL AIDS COALITION PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC INITIATIVE BY IDENTIFYING BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN WITH HIV, NAVIGATING THEM TO TREATMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DIAGNOSIS OR RE-ENGAGEMENT OF WOMEN PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED, EXPANDING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT HELP PREVENT NEW INFECTIONS, AND WORKING WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO OUTBREAKS IN OUR CATCHMENT AREA. THE PROJECT WILL ENHANCE EXISTING PROGRAMS AT MAC, BY ALLOWING FOR EXPANSION OF OUTREACH, TESTING, NAVIGATION, AND LINKAGE EFFORTS. A HEALTH SYSTEM NAVIGATION MODEL IS AT THE CORE OF MAC?S APPROACH TO PROVIDING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES. MAC UTILIZES A 3-TIERED SYSTEM TO CATEGORIZE THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT CLIENTS REQUIRE TO ACCESS SERVICES. AT ASSESSMENT, SHORT-TERM NAVIGATION NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED, BASED ON ACUITY, AND INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLANS DEVELOPED TO LINK CLIENTS TO NEEDED CARE. THE INTENDED OUTCOMES FOR THE PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS:OUTCOME #1: 1.DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE WORKPLAN TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG BLACK & LATINA WOMEN IN SUFFOLK COUNTY IN MASSACHUSETTS2.INCREASE ACCESS TO HIV/STI SERVICES AMONG BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN IN HIGHLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING INTEGRATED HIV/STI/HEPATITIS SCREENING TO AT LEAST 480 WOMEN ANNUALLY.3.INCREASE UTILIZATION OF MEDICAL CARE AND ART AMONG BLACK/LATINA WOMEN W/HIV BY NAVIGATING AT LEAST 30 WOMEN TO HIV TREATMENT/ESSENTIAL SUPPORTS ANNUALLY.4.ENHANCE COLLABORATION WITH MA OFFICE OF HIV/AIDS TO INCREASE UTILIZATION OF PARTNER SERVICES, SURVEILLANCE, AND DATA SHARING TO TARGET PREVENTION SERVICES AND IMPROVE LINKAGE TO CARE.5.INCREASE KNOWLEDGE, ACCESS, AND UTILIZATION OF HIV PREVENTION TECHNOLOGIES BY BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN AT HIGH RISK OF HIV ACQUISITION.SERVICES FOR WOMEN WILL BE CENTRALIZED AT THE WOMEN CONNECTING AFFECTING CHANGE (WCAC) PROGRAM, WHICH IS OPERATED OUT OF A STORE-FRONT/DROP-IN FACILITY LOCATED IN THE HEAR T OF CITY?S BLACK AND LATINX COMMUNITIES. WCAC SERVES AS A FIELD STATION FOR OUTREACH, EDUCATION, HIV/STI SCREENING, RISK-REDUCTION, SYRINGE ACCESS, AND NAVIGATION ACTIVITIES. IT IS IN A HIGHLY VISIBLE COMMUNITY LOCATION AND OFFERS LOW-THRESHOLD ACCESS TO SERVICES. WCAC IS OPEN DAILY AND IS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS TO MAINTAIN ONGOING CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER TIME. TWO OTHER MAC PROGRAMS WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO WOMEN: THE AFRICANS FOR IMPROVED ACCESS (AFIA) PROGRAM REACHES SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS, AND THE CASA IRIS PROGRAM SERVES LATINA WOMEN FROM PUERTO RICO, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA. THESE PROGRAMS OPERATE FROM THE DROP-IN SERVICES/TESTING CENTER AT MAC?S HEADQUARTERS, LOCATED ONLY A BLOCK FROM NUBIAN SQUARE BUS STATION, A HUB OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WE WILL SUBCONTRACT WITH YOUTH & FAMILY ENRICHMENT SERVICES (YOFES) TO ENGAGE WOMEN IN THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY.INCREASING ACCESS TO PREP AND NPEP IS A PRIORITY FOR MAC ACROSS THE POPULATIONS WE SERVE. ALL TESTING CLIENTS ARE ASSESSED FOR PREP INDICATION AND PROVIDED INFORMATION ON PREP REFERRALS AND SUPPORT AS APPROPRIATE. AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE WILL INCLUDE A FOCUS ON EDUCATING WOMEN AT INCREASED RISK OF HIV ABOUT PREP AND ITS AVAILABILITY.

HEALTH SYSTEM NAVIGATION FOR INDIVIDUALS HIGHLY IMPACTED BY HIV AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE