Increasing MSM prevention and continuous treatment (impact) - project impact (increasing MSM prevention and continuous treatment) a collaborative effort between black effort against the threat of aids…

Increasing MSM prevention and continuous treatment (impact) - project impact (increasing MSM prevention and continuous treatment) a collaborative effort between black effort against the threat of aids coalition trust (beat aids), SAN antonio fighting back (safb), and other local minority serving clinics and health departments, to utilize social networking strategy to link, engage, and retain high risk negative (HRN) and HIV positive young men who have SEX with men (ymsm) and men who have SEX with men (MSM) into culturally competent, comprehensive prevention, treatment and support services. Problem: MSM have been the subpopulation most burdened by HIV/aids in national, state and local levles. While newly diagnosed HIV infection rates have remained relatively stable among other subpopulations, new infection rates among MSM has substantially increased from 2011 to 2018. Ymsm are especially vulnerable given that many do not pay attention to risk factors and may view HIV as less dangerous since there have been improvements in treatment. Target population to be served: HRN and HIV positive ymsm/MSM over the ages of 13 and their partners regardless of age, gender, and race/ethnicity that reside in SAN antonio, TX, corpus christi, TX and the RIO grande valley (brownsville, harlingen, mcallen and the surrounding area). The overarching goals of impact include: 1) reduce the incidence and transmission of HIV/stds; 2) eliminate the gaps in HIV/aids treatment services; and 3) eliminate health disparities among ymsm/MSM at-risk of or living with HIV/aids. Outcomes: increase in 7,500 ymsm/MSM of color tested for HIV and an increase of 3,750 tested for stds, viral hepatitis, and TB; increase in 120 HIV-positive persons who become aware of their infection; increase in 60 identified that are not in care; increase in a minimum of 110 HIV+ persons who receive comprehensive prevention and treatment services along the continuum of care. For HRN clients, 100% will be aware of their HIV infection and 100% of repeat testers WI LL receive PCC and essential support services, facilitated through trained navigators and a linkage case manager. Further, there will be an increase in the number of HIV+ ymsm/MSM that are virally suppressed and an overall reduction of the incidence, transmission, death rate, and health disparities among HIV+ and HRN ymsm/MSM in the south texas.