Project Grant H79TI086834

SFRC'S NATIVE AMERICAN-FOCUSED MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE - SANTA FE RECOVERY CENTER (SFRC) WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE -HIGH RISK POPULATIONS PROJECT AT TWO IMPLEMENTATION SITES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL NEED FOR ENGAGEMENT-FOCUSED TREATMENT AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS AND OTHER UNDERSERVED MINORITY POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK FOR HIV/AIDS. THE POPULATIONS OF FOCUS ARE THE MINORITY INDIVIDUALS OF ALL GENDERS IN NORTHERN NM WHO NOT ONLY ARE AT RISK FOR (OR ARE LIVING WITH) HIV/AIDS BUT ALSO MEET DSM-5 CRITERIA FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND/OR CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS (COD), AS DETERMINED BY A LICENSED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. SFRC WILL IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE THE MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE FROM ITS SANTA FE AND GALLUP, NM FACILITIES. NM DEPT OF HEALTH HAS IDENTIFIED SERVICE GAPS PERTAINING TO A MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE: LIMITED ACCESS TO PREP AND PEP; LIMITED-TO-NO ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND FACE-TO-FACE CASE MANAGEMENT; AND LIMITED ACCESS TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS. THE NMDOH HIV PREVENTION PROGRAM CURRENTLY ONLY CONTRACTS WITH FIVE EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, DOWN FROM A PEAK OF 14 PARTNERS ROUGHLY 10 YEARS AGO. ONLY ONE ETHNIC-SPECIFIC PROVIDER IS LEFT IN THIS NETWORK. THIS HAS REDUCED THE NUMBER OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG GAY/BISEXUAL MEN AND TRANSGENDER WOMEN OF COLOR. SFRC HAS DESIGNED A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO DELIVER ENGAGEMENT-FOCUSED SERVICES TO A HIGH RISK POPULATION USING A TEAM-BASED CARE MODEL. THE MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE WILL SERVE 600 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY AS A WELL-DESIGNED PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THE HIV EPIDEMIC AND ADDRESS TARGETED POPULATIONS' HEALTH DISPARITIES DUE TO THE CATCHMENT AREA'S DEFICIENT RESOURCES AND SERVICE GAPS. GOAL 1: INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF STATUS FOR MINORITY INDIVIDUALS IN THE TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC REGION. GOAL 2: INCREASE ENGAGEMENT IN CARE FOR THE REGION'S MINORITY INDIVIDUALS WITH SUD/COD AT RISK FOR HIV OR WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE. SFRC'S MAI PROGRAM COORDINATOR (100% LOE) WILL MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGNS AND TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR HIV PREVENTION, FOR SUD/COD TREATMENT, AND FOR REFERRALS TO THREE HIV/HCV TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR TREATMENT AND FOLLOW UP: GALLUP INDIAN MEDICAL CENTER, UNM TRUMAN HEALTH SERVICES, AND CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.