Prevention navigation for transgender, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals - the translatin@ coalition will implement prevention navigation for transgender, gender non-conforming, and…

Prevention navigation for transgender, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals - the translatin@ coalition will implement prevention navigation for transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGI) individuals in LOS angeles county, california. The population of focus is TGI racial and ethnic minorities at risk for HIV and SUD, including individuals experiencing homelessness, immigrants and refugees. A 12-week evidence-based seeking safety group intervention will be implemented alongside individualized peer navigation services. TGI people have higher rates of substance use than the general population, in addition to higher rates of trauma, homelessness, and chronic stress. TGI people are further at risk for SUD, HIV and related infections because they are less likely to seek prevention, testing, and other health services due to fear of discrimination and mistreatment. This project aims to increase access to substance use and HIV prevention services for TGI youth and adults of color who are at high risk for SUD and HIV by implementing peer navigation services in conjunction with a 12-week seeking safety group program to link at-risk individuals to trusted, culturally competent prevention and treatment services. The impact of these activities will be a decrease in undiagnosed HIV, viral hepatitis, and stis; a decrease in HIV risk behavior; a decrease in substance use; and improved mental health among TGI youth and adults in LOS angeles. TLC's prevention navigation program will serve 40 individuals annually in years 1 and 5 and 60 individuals annually in years 2-4, for a total of 260 individuals over the 5-year grant period. Other project objectives include: *provide safer SEX education for 600 people per year *provide harm reduction education to 600 people per year *provide HIV testing and counseling for 260 people per year *provide hepatitis C testing and counseling for 25 people per year *provide linkage to prep services for 20 people per year *provide education to 10 community health organizations per year *create and publish a promotional video and 100 social media posts over the 5-year grant period