Project Grant H79TI085177

RCA-MAI - ABSTRACT. RECOVERY CONSULTANTS OF ATLANTA, INC. (RCA), PROPOSES A MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AT HIGH-RISK FOR HIV/AIDS (MAI) PROJECT (RCA-MAI). THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES AND INCREASE ENGAGEMENT IN CARE OF A POPULATION OF FOCUS (POF) WHO ARE RACIAL AND ETHNIC UNDERREPRESENTED ADULTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND/OR CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS (COD) WHO ARE AT RISK FOR OR ARE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND RECEIVE HIV/AIDS SERVICES/TREATMENT. AMONG THE POF ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY EXIST IN UNSTABLE HOUSING, BE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVED, AND/OR IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ, HETEROSEXUAL FEMALE, OR MALE. THE RCA-MAI WILL SERVE A GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA COMPRISED OF ATLANTA COMMUNITIES IN DEKALB, FULTON, AND GWINNETT COUNTIES LISTED AMONG GEORGIA (GA)'S LOCALITIES HARDEST HIT BY THE HIV EPIDEMIC. NATIONALLY, GA RANKS FOURTH FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW HIV INFECTIONS AND FIFTH FOR PLWH. AS THE TARGET POPULATION STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, SUD, OR COD AND LACK ACCESS TO BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION TREATMENT; THESE BARRIERS ARE EXACERBATED BY LIVING IN COMMUNITIES WITH INCREASED RISK FOR HIV. ACROSS THE CATCHMENT AREA, BLACK MALES AGES 20-29 REPRESENT THE PRIMARY DEMOGRAPHICS FOR HIGH PREVALENCE (80.1%) OF ALL NEW HIV DIAGNOSIS AND AMONG MALES AGE 30 AND OLDER THE HIGHEST PREVALENCE OF PLWH (78.1%). HIV INFECTION TRANSMISSION FOR NEW DIAGNOSIS AND PLWH HAS OCCURRED THROUGH MALE-TO-MALE (MSM) SEXUAL CONTACT OR SHARED USE OF CONTAMINATED DRUG-USE MATERIALS. WHILE FEMALES REPRESENTED LOWER PREVALENCE RATES FOR NEW HIV DIAGNOSIS AND PLWH; TRANSMISSION OF HIV IS ATTRIBUTED TO HETEROSEXUAL CONTACT. RCA RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO ADDRESS CRITICAL GAPS IN EARLY HIV TESTING, DIAGNOSIS, AND PREVENTION FOR A TARGET POPULATION WHO ALSO EXPERIENCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND LACK ENGAGEMENT IN CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUD OR COD TREATMENT/CARE. THE AGENCY WILL HIRE AND PROVIDE EXTENSIVE TRAINING FOR A CREDENTIALED, INTERDISCIPLINARY 4-FTE PROJECT TEAM WHO WILL IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS INCLUDING TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, MOTIVATIONAL ENHANCEMENT THERAPY, PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, ANTI-RETROVIRAL TREATMENT AND ACCESS TO SERVICES, PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AND POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL OFFER RAPID 4TH-GENERATION HIV TESTING AND RAPID HEPATITIS (B/C) TESTING, CONFIRMATORY TESTING AND FOLLOW-UP, THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS, INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 1200 PARTICIPANTS (200/Y1; 250/Y2; 250/Y3; 250/Y4; 250/Y5). PROGRAM GOALS INCLUDE (1) INCREASE CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO REACH, IDENTIFY, AND PROVIDE TREATMENT, RECOVERY, AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH SUD OR COD WHO ARE AT RISK FOR OR ARE PLWH; (2) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO LEARN THEIR HIV STATUS AND RECEIVE LINKAGE TO MEDICAL CARE WITHIN 30 DAYS; AND (3) EXPAND AVAILABILITY AND PROVISION OF RECOVERY-ORIENTED, TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND EQUITY-BASED HEALTH CARE FOR 1,200 RACIAL/ETHNIC UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH SUD AND COD AT RISK OF OR LIVING WITH HIV. RCA'S COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (FQHC, HCH, CARF) WILL OFFER COMPREHENSIVE ONSITE SERVICES FOR RAPID HIV/HEPATITIS TESTING AND RISK EDUCATION; INTERNAL LINKAGE TO HIV/HEPATITIS CONFIRMATORY TESTING, SUD/COD ASSESSMENT/EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT, INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT WITH BENEFIT NAVIGATION, LINKAGE TO PEER SUPPORT, RECOVERY HOUSING, AND OTHER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS USING THE RCA MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT AND A COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF HIV PREVENTION, SUD OR COD TREATMENT, AND AVAILABLE SUPPORT SERVICES. RCA RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS SAMHSA FUNDING OF $2,500,000 TO IMPLEMENT THE FIVE-YEAR RCA-MAI PROJECT.