Prevention navigation for racial and ethnic minorities in Puerto Rico - Summary. Intercambios Puerto Rico (IC) is proposing a program to provide services to those at highest risk for HIV and SUD, with a focus on the immigrant and LGBTQ communities, including youth. IC will provide training and education around the risks of substance misuse, education on HIV/AIDS, and needed linkages to service provision for individuals with HIV. IC will serve 125 unduplicated individuals annually and 625 over the project period.
Project name. Navigation Puerto Rico
Populations to be served. IC’s population of focus (POF) will be those at highest risk for HIV and SUD, with a focus on the immigrant and LGBTQ communities, including youth (ages 18 and over). The catchment area will be the Puerto Rico areas of San Juan, Caguas, and Humacao.
Strategies/interventions. IC’s program activities will include: 1) implement community-based substance misuse and HIV prevention strategies; 2) develop and implement public messaging and awareness campaigns on substance misuse among PLWH and the importance of seeking care and treatment; 3) provide opportunities for screening and testing for HIV and viral hepatitis; 4) provide navigation services to link individuals to care for HIV and substance misuse; 5) provide education and training to SUD treatment and healthcare providers on the importance of screening for HIV; and 6) implement the following EBPs: Motivational Interviewing, SBIRT (with the CRAFFT), and ARTAS.
Project goals and measurable objectives. The program’s 3 goals are 1) improve local service providers’ understanding of needs and issues in the community related to substance abuse and HIV, 2) increase the number of at-risk individuals who are identified, tested for HIV, and linked with HIV care, housing and support services, and 3) increase the number of at-risk individuals who are identified, tested for HIV, and linked to HIV care and other support services. The program’s objectives include: offer trainings and workshops for at least 10 agencies regarding the risks of substance and HIV in the POF and best practices for serving the POF; conduct outreach and recruitment activities for 250 persons per year; conduct public messaging and awareness campaigns via social media and community events for 1,000 persons per year; provide referrals to HIV, STD, and HCV testing for 75 persons per year; provide 6 group prevention education sessions per year for at least 30 program participants per year on substance misuse prevention education and HIV risk reduction services; screen at least 125 persons from the POF per year for substance misuse using evidence-based screening tools; provide navigation to SUD treatment for 75% of participants; provide HIV counseling, testing, and referral services to at least 125 persons in the POF each year; provide HCV and STI screening for at least 50 persons in the POF each year; provide navigation to HIV care services to 90% of persons testing HIV positive per year; provide navigation to HCV and STI care to 85% of persons testing positive per year; and provide ongoing support to 80% of HIV-positive clients to ensure retention in care.
