Prevention navigator expansion initiative of victory programs' boston living center - victory programs is proposing to expand the populations served by our boston living center to provide substance…

Prevention navigator expansion initiative of victory programs' boston living center - victory programs is proposing to expand the populations served by our boston living center to provide substance misuse, HIV/hepatitis prevention education, and mental health promotion for racial/ethnic minority males and transgender individuals at risk for HIV/aids and viral hepatitis. The goal of the program is to reduce substance misuse, HIV and viral hepatitis infection, and subsequent mortality among this population. VPI's boston living center (BLC)), which has provided services to people living with HIV/aids (PLWHA) since 1984, merged with victory programs in 2012. The BLC's primary service elements include: 1) meals, nutritional counseling, nutritional presentations, and cooking classes; 2) an array of psychosocial and prevention/ workshops and 1:1 consultations, including peer support services and health education/risk reduction, and 3) social and wellness activities. All services are provided in a low-threshold, welcoming environment. VPI is requesting funding under nofo # SP-22-002 (prevention navigator) to expand the BLC's service population beyond only PLWHA, and serve this nofo's population of focus-racial/ethnic minority males who have SEX with other males (MSM), transgender individuals, and those who identify as lgbtq+ in unstable housing and in high HIV-incidence communities. The primary purpose of this project is to provide substance misuse and HIV/hepatitis prevention education and mental health promotion to the population of focus to identify risk, reduce infections and increase protective factors that support health and well-being. Key project personnel will ensure the most effective interventions are provided by integrating samhsa's strategic prevention framework's five steps of assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation and evaluation. Project activities will include: - providing substance misuse and HIV/hepatitis prevention education, as well as mental health promotion, utilizing evidence-based or informed practices, such as the CDC's voices/voces for MSM, motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care, etc. - conducting HIV and viral hepatitis testing for our focus populations via VPI's mobile prevention team; - referring those who test positive for HIV and viral hepatitis to long-time referral treatment clinics and providers, such as the boston healthcare for the homeless program and the lemuel shattuck hospital. - navigating clients to additional services addressing social determinants of health (e.g. housing support, medical and behavioral health, legal, vocational, food access and nutrition). - a comprehensive social media awareness campaign regarding substance misuse and the risks for HIV and viral hepatitis, and the importance of seeking testing and navigation to treatment or prevention services. As new BLC members, clients will also have access to the center's wide array of meals and nutritional services, peer support and health education/risk reduction workshops and counseling, and wellness and social activities. The project will access clients from the population of focus through outreach and engagement with permanent and transitional housing programs throughout the city, the boston public health commission's engagement center, medical providers, houses of correction, trans-identified service providers, etc. We anticipate serving between 40-75 unduplicated individuals each year for a total of 325 unduplicated individuals over the project's 5-year span. Other objectives include: successfully integrating the prevention framework principles into the program; offering 100% of clients with integrated testing; 85% of those who participate in evidence-based workshops will report a knowledge gain in post workshop surveys, and; 100% of those served will be offered safer SEX and other harm reduction supplies.