Project Grant H79TI086794

MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE: HIGH RISK POPULATIONS - GEORGIA HARM REDUCTION COALITION, INC., (GHRC) FORMERLY KNOWN AS ATLANTA HARM REDUCTION COALITION, INC IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ODYSSEY FAMILY COUNSELING CENTER (OFCC) IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO SUPPORT ITS SUBSTANCE USE (SU), CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD), HARM REDUCTION, AND HIV/VH/STI SERVICES TO HELP REDUCE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SU, COD, OVERDOSE AND HIV/VH/STI BY DELIVERING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MENTAL HEALTH AND SU COUNSELING, SU AND SEXUAL HEALTH EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS, OUTPATIENT SU TREATMENT SERVICES, LINKAGE TO ESSENTIAL, SUPPORTIVE, AND MEDICAL SERVICES INCLUDING TELEHEALTH, HIV/VH/STI SCREENING AND TREATMENT, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT), SYRINGE SERVICES INCLUDING NARCAN AND FENTANYL TEST STRIP DISTRIBUTION TO AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS IN SOUTHWEST ATLANTA. TOWARD THESE ENDS, THE SIX MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. BY 9/29/2024, GHRC WILL PROVIDE RAPID HIV PRELIMINARY TESTING TO AT LEAST 250 UNDUPLICATED AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS PER ANNUM. 2. BY 9/29/2024, GHRC AND OFCC WILL INCREASE KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTION SKILLS IN AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WITHIN THE CATCHMENT AREA BY PROVIDING EVIDENCE-BASED HIV AND SU PREVENTION PROGRAMMING INCLUDING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, MATRIX MODEL, STRENGTHEN BASED CASE MANAGEMENT, CLEAR, PROMISE, AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE TO AT LEAST 75 UNDUPLICATED AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WITHIN THE CATCHMENT AREA PER ANNUM. 3. BY 9/29/2024, GHRC AND OFCC WILL INCREASE AWARENESS OF SU AND COD TREATMENT, HARM REDUCTION, RECOVERY SUPPORT, AND HIV/VH/STI SERVICES AND ANTI-STIGMA CAMPAIGNS THROUGH STRATEGIC MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO REACH AT LEAST 2500 UNDUPLICATED AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS PER ANNUM. THIS WILL UTILIZE COMPREHENSIVE PEER DRIVEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVERTISEMENT STRATEGIES. 4. BY 9/29/2024, GHRC WILL INCREASE SU, COD, AND HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION AND SERVICES BY CONDUCTING OUTREACH, SYRINGE EXCHANGE, NARCAN, FENTANYL TEST STRIPS, HIV SELF-TESTING, SAFETY DRUG USING AND CONDOM KITS DISTRIBUTION, IMMUNIZATION, AND LINKAGE TO ESSENTIAL, SUPPORTIVE, AND MEDICAL SERVICES TO AT LEAST 150 UNDUPLICATED AT-RISK AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WITHIN CATCHMENT AREA PER ANNUM. 5. BY 9/29/2024, GHRC WILL INCREASE ACCESS OF HIV/VH/STI TREATMENT SERVICES, PREP/NPEP, AND LOW THRESHOLD MAT FOR 40 UNDUPLICATED AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WITHIN THE CATCHMENT AREA IDENTIFIED THROUGH SCREENING, OUTREACH, AND GHRC EVIDENCE- BASED CURRICULA BY PROVIDING LINKAGE CONNECTIONS TO APPROPRIATE MEDICAL, SUPPORTIVE, AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF GHRC. 6. BY 9/29/2024, OFCC WILL INCREASE ACCESS OF OUTPATIENT SU AND COD FOR 20 UNDUPLICATED AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WITHIN THE CATCHMENT AREA IDENTIFIED THROUGH SCREENING AND OFCC EVIDENCE- BASED CURRICULA. OUR MAIN TARGET POPULATION ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AGES 18-44 AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE MOST DISCONNECTED FROM SERVICES AND THE HARDEST TO REACH, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO USE/INJECT DRUGS, LGBTQ, RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY, AND THOSE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS. BY FULLY INTEGRATING OUR SERVICES, OUR PROGRAM WILL REACH AND ASSIST POPULATIONS THAT HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS OF TRADITIONAL FRAGMENTED SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS, THEREBY INCREASING SYSTEM CAPACITY TO EFFECTIVELY PREVENT HIV/VH/STI, SU, COD, AND OVERDOSE AND PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO CARE.