Project Grant H79SP083250

OASIS PREVENTION NAVIGATION PROGRAM - OASIS'S PREVENTION NAVIGATION PROGRAM AIMS TO REDUCE RACIAL/ETHNIC DISPARITIES RELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND HIV/STI/HCV INFECTION. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO INCREASE ADOPTION OF HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS AND EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT AMONG NYC HISPANIC MSM. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES (EBPS) TO ADDRESS VARIOUS ECOLOGICAL LEVELS, INCLUDING HEALTH INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND SOCIAL MARKETING, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. TOGETHER, THESE EBPS SYNERGISTICALLY ADDRESS DETERMINANTS THAT INCREASE ACCESS AND UTILIZATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WITH MULTI-MORBIDITY. FOCUS POPULATION AND GEOGRAPHIC AREA: THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE HISPANIC GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN AND MALES WHO HAVE SEX WITH OTHER MALES (MSM FOR BREVITY) AT RISK FOR HIV/HCV, AGES 18-34, INCLUDING SPANISH SPEAKERS AND UNSTABLY HOUSED PLWH. RECRUITMENT WILL TARGET THOSE REPORTING SUBSTANCE MISUSE, HIV TRANSMISSION RISK, AND MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. THE PROGRAM WILL EMPHASIZE NEW YORK CITY AREAS WITH HIGH NUMBERS OF HISPANIC MSM AND HIV INCIDENCE RATES, NAMELY THE BRONX, MANHATTAN, AND QUEENS BOROUGHS. UTILIZATION OF EXISTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IS LESS THAN OPTIMAL AMONG HISPANIC/LATINX COMMUNITIES DUE TO COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS. STRATEGIES/INTERVENTIONS: LCOA WILL IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES (EBPS) TO ADDRESS VARIOUS ECOLOGICAL LEVELS: HEALTH INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCREENINGS AND HIV/STI/HCV SCREENING AND TESTING; SBIRT, PERSONALIZED COGNITIVE COUNSELING, AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS; NAVIGATION SERVICES; FORMALIZED INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND HEALTH PROVIDER EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING. THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDRESSING HISPANIC MSMIS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS FROM AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. THESE EBPS SYNERGISTICALLY ADDRESS DETERMINANTS THAT INCREASE ACCESS AND UTILIZATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WITH MULTI-MORBIDITY. TOGETHER, THESE PRACTICES HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING HEALTH LITERACY, HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS, AND INTENTION TO ADOPT PROTECTIVE HEALTH STRATEGIES. PROJECT GOALS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES (SUMMARY): ANNUAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES (BASED ON A STANDARD YEAR) GOAL 1. INCREASE EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND HIV/STI/HCV INFECTION BY INCREASING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LITERACY, REDUCING STIGMA, AND PROMOTING SELF-CARE GOAL 2. INCREASE ADOPTION OF HEALTHY BEHAVIORS BY INCREASING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LITERACY, AWARENESS OF RISK BEHAVIORS, AND ADOPTION OF SELF-CARE AND HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS GOAL 3. INCREASE ACCESS TO AND UTILIZATION OF CARE AND TREATMENT FOR MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND HIV/STI/HCV BY ENHANCING COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED SERVICES AND PROVIDING NAVIGATION SERVICES. THROUGH ITS DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE HISPANIC MSM, PROVIDERS SERVING HISPANIC MSM, AND HISPANIC HEALTH ADVOCATES. IN A REGULAR YEAR, THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE DIRECT INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 100 HISPANIC MSM, TRAIN 3 ORGANIZATIONS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND EDUCATE 50-75 PROVIDERS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. AN ANNUAL SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN WILL REACH APPROXIMATELY 2,000 HISPANIC MSM, 150 PROVIDERS, AND 75 HEALTH ADVOCATES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE 5 YEARS, THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE DIRECT INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 470 HISPANIC MSM, TRAIN 15 ORGANIZATIONS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND EDUCATE 250 PROVIDERS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THE PROGRAM WILL ALSO DISTRIBUTE HEALTH INFORMATION AND SOCIAL MARKETING MESSAGES TO APPROXIMATELY 2,000 HISPANIC MEN, 150 PROVIDERS, AND 75 HEALTH ADVOCATES.