Project Grant H79SP083264

THE CROSSROADS PROJECT - US HELPING US, PEOPLE INTO LIVING, INC. (US HELPING US), ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST MINORITY AIDS-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC, DEDICATED TO THE HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE OF HIGHLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITS THIS FUNDING APPLICATION ENTITLED, THE CROSSROADS PROJECT, IN RESPONSE TO THE FY2022 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HIV PREVENTION NAVIGATOR PROGRAM FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (SHORT TITLE: PREVENTION NAVIGATOR) RELEASED BY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. THE CROSSROADS PROJECT, AN EVIDENCE-BASED, PATIENT NAVIGATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO A SERVE APPROXIMATELY 2,500 UNDUPLICATED WASHINGTON, DC AREA RESIDENTS AND TO ADDRESS THE INTERSECTING EPIDEMICS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) AMONG BLACK, GAY, BISEXUAL, OTHER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM), TRANSWOMEN (TW), AND OTHER LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT STABLE HOUSING. UHU REQUESTS $1,250,000 FOR FIVE YEARS THAT WOULD FUND A PROJECT DIRECTOR (PD), A LEAD PATIENT NAVIGATOR, AND AN EVALUATOR, IN ADDITION TO A REGISTERED NURSE, AND CASE MANAGER, TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF ITS MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT. IF FUNDED, UHU WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SUD COUNSELING THROUGH CONTRACTED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND A PATIENT NAVIGATOR/PEER OUTREACH WORKER TO HELP ENSURE OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE TAILORED TO AND REACH PRIORITY POPULATIONS. BY THE END OF THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, 2,500 BLACK MSM, TW, AND UNSTABLY HOUSED OR UNHOUSED LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASED ACCESS TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES THAT HELP REDUCE THE CO-OCCURRING EPIDEMICS OF HIV, VIRAL HEPATITIS, AND SUD. IN THE U.S., BLACK MSM AND TW AND OTHER RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND SEXUAL MINORITIES ARE AT THE NEXUS OF THE SUD AND HIV EPIDEMICS, AND COMPREHENSIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND SERVICES PROPOSED HEREIN ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. OF NOTE, WASHINGTON, DC, AND THE GREATER SURROUNDS, IS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT GIVEN ITS ESTIMATED 1 IN 13 RISK FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO ACQUIRE HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION (AND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, AN ADJACENT SUBURB, HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF NEW INFECTIONS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND). IN ADDITION, 1 IN 2 BLACK MSM ARE LIKELY TO ACQUIRE HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME. OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE, US HELPING US WILL PERFORM PROCESS AND OUTCOME EVALUATIONS, USING A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH CONTAINING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA COLLECTION ELEMENTS, ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE CROSSROADS PROJECT AND WILL DEVELOP A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO ENSURE THE CONTINUANCE OF THE PROJECT BEYOND GRANT FUNDING.