Project Grant H79TI085199

PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT & HARM REDUCTION EXPANSION PROGRAM - CIRCLE HEALTH SERVICES AND ITS SUBSIDIARY THE CENTERS FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN (BOTH D/B/A "THE CENTERS") PROPOSES A PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT & HARM REDUCTION EXPANSION PROGRAM TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIV/AIDS SERVICES AND TREATMENT, RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AND/OR CO-OCCURRING MENTAL DISORDERS (COD), AND OTHER HARM REDUCTION SERVICES FOR TWO GROUPS AT RISK FOR OR LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN CLEVELAND: (1) AFRICAN AMERICAN ADULTS (AGES 18 AND OLDER), AND (2) LQBTQ+ POPULATIONS. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO FURTHER THE REACH OF OUR HIV AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES VIA MOBILE OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY. IN PARTICULAR, WE HOPE TO REACH PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS (PWUD) WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN TESTED FOR HIV OR VIRAL HEPATITIS, AND/OR HAVE NOT SOUGHT TREATMENT. WE AIM TO SERVE 2,080 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE GRANT PERIOD (250 IN YEAR ONE, 325 IN YEAR TWO, 455 IN YEAR THREE, 500 IN YEAR FOUR, AND 550 IN YEAR FIVE). THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING: GOAL 1 - REDUCE THE SPREAD OF HIV AND HEPATITIS B AND C THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH-QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES PROGRAM. THE OBJECTIVES TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL ARE: - BY 2023, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WILL OUTREACH 250 CLIENTS TO PROVIDE PSYCHOEDUCATION ABOUT HIV AND HEPATITIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, SUDS, AND OUDS AND CONNECT CLIENTS TO INTERNAL HOLISTIC SERVICES. - BY 2023, PEERS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WILL PARTNER WITH TWO LGBT ORGANIZATIONS AND FIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGARDING HIV AND HEPATITIS RISK FACTORS, PREP SERVICES, AND INFORMATION ON THE CENTERS' HARM REDUCTION SERVICES. - BY 2023, CENTERS WILL COLLABORATE/PARTNER WITH ONE OTHER PEER ORGANIZATION TO CONDUCT SIX COLLABORATIVE OUTREACH COMMUNITY EVENTS. - BY 2023, 20% OF THE OUTREACH INDIVIDUALS WILL BE LINKED TO THE CENTERS' INTEGRATED SERVICES THAT INCLUDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PRIMARY CARE, AND SUD SERVICES. GOAL 2 - INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LBGT AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SUD AND/OR COD LINKED TO INTEGRATED SERVICES TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES. THE OBJECTIVES TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL ARE: - 30% OF THE CENTERS ADMISSIONS WHO DON'T HAVE PRIMARY CARE SERVICES WILL BE LINKED TO PRIMARY CARE SERVICES WITHIN 10 DAYS. - 20% OF THE CENTERS CLIENTS WILL BE SCREENED FOR HIV/HEPATITIS C BY 2023. - ALL CENTERS CLIENTS SEEKING SUD SERVICES WILL BE LINKED TO SUD SERVICES WITHIN 3 DAYS. - 50% OF CENTERS CLIENTS WITH A MODERATE TO SEVERE OUD WILL BE REFERRED TO MAT, AND 25% OF THOSE WILL LINK TO MAT.