Project Grant H79TI085173

HEALTHY, SAFE AND SOBER - THE HEALTHY, SAFE AND SOBER (HSS) PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE LOCALITY OF DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA - A RECOGNIZED AREA HARDEST HIT BY THE HIV PANDEMIC. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT IN CARE FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND/OR CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS (COD) WHO ARE AT RISK FOR, OR ARE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND RECEIVE HIV/AIDS SERVICES/TREATMENT. THE IDENTIFIED POPULATIONS OF FOCUS INCLUDE RACIAL AND ETHNIC UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE (SUD) OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDER (COD) WHO ARE AT RISK FOR, OR WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROGRAM WILL TARGET YOUNG INDIVIDUALS, AGES 18-29, WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ+, AND WHO MEET THE ABOVE CRITERIA. DUVAL COUNTY RANKS 5TH IN THE STATE FOR NEW HIV CASES. OF THE 6,566 LIVING WITH HIV IN 2020, ONLY 83% WERE LINKED TO CARE, 74% REMAINED IN CARE, AND 64% WERE VIRALLY SUPPRESSED. SERVICE GAPS INCLUDE THE NEED FOR CASE MANAGEMENT, CARE COORDINATION, AND TREATMENT FOR SUD/CODS TO PROMOTE TREATMENT ADHERENCE AND ACCESS TO CARE TO LOWER UNSAFE BEHAVIORS AND INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH HIV THAT ARE VIRALLY SUPPRESSED. THE HSS PROGRAM IS THE ONLY SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IN DUVAL COUNTY OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED SUD/COD CARE WITH HIV PROVIDERS IN THE AREA. THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 205 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GRANT WITH 35 BEING SERVED IN YEAR ONE AND FIVE AND 45 BEING SERVED IN YEARS TWO THROUGH FOUR. THE HEALTHY, SAFE AND SOBER PROGRAM IS INFORMED BY LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, AND LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. THE STATEMENT OF NEED IDENTIFIES THE FOLLOWING GAPS IN SERVICE AND NEEDS FOR SERVICE ENHANCEMENT FOR THE TARGET POPULATION: 1) INCREASED TREATMENT CAPACITY FOR SUD/COD FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH OR AT RISK OF CONTRACTING HIV; 2) NEED FOR SUPPORTIVE, AFFORDABLE AND SOBER HOUSING TO INCREASE TREATMENT ADHERENCE AND VIRAL SUPPRESSION; AND 3) NEED FOR INCREASED CARE COORDINATION, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND PEER SERVICES TO COORDINATE CARE ACROSS THE NETWORK ENSURING HIGHER RATES OF ENGAGEMENT IN SERVICES AND INCREASE POSITIVE OUTCOMES. OVERARCHING GOAL: IMPROVE HIV-RELATED HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES WITH SUD/COD, SPECIFICALLY YOUNG LGBTQ MINORITY INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE SEXUAL AND GENDER SPECTRUM WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA.