Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
In Pima County, 281 people out of each 100,000 people are living with HIV and of that 281, 269 people are Latino. HIV/STIs infections disproportionately affecting the Latino community, specifically, males. The rate of Latino males living with an HIV diagnosis is 1.2 times that of white males and the rate of Hispanic/Latina females living with an HIV diagnosis is 1.5 times that of white females. Amistades, Inc. proposes to implement Por Vida, a culturally responsive Substance Misuse and HIV Prevention Navigator Program for Latinos aged 13-24 at highest risk for HIV and substance misuse disorders. Through Por Vida, Amistades will target Latinos to effectively reduce the prevalence of HIV infections over the next five years. Amistades is at the highest-level of readiness to implement such program because of its successful experience utilizing a team science approach which includes several knowledge bases and sectors. The agency has effectively administered six federal grants totaling $2.6 million, four national foundation grants totaling $965,000 and three state awards totaling $885,000; totaling approximately $4.45 million. Por Vida will be grounded in Latino core values, employing a cultural healing spectrum as part of the navigation process. The spectrum acknowledges an individual’s existence from shame and trauma to happiness and wellness. Survival is often where individuals find themselves as they move towards existence. Participation in the Por Vida Program, will allow individuals to move beyond existence and grow, heal, and re-root, to achieve harmony. Utlizing culture as power, Amistades will employ practices such as providing bilingual/ bicultural outreach services, Reglas de Respeto, cafecitos y platicas, and testemonios to reach Latinos in Pima County. A steering community (Community Advisory Board) will be convened to ensure and monitor the cultural frameworks and best frameworks. The goals of the Por Vida Program will be to 1) serve Latino youth and young adults living in Pima County, specifically in three border school districts and the University of Arizona; 2) To use a navigation approach Peer Navigators to expedite services for these populations and 3) will provide training and education around the risks of substance misuse, provide education on HIV/AIDS, and provide needed linkages to service provision for individuals with HIV. Por Vida will implement the following required activities a) collaborate with various community sectors to implement culturally responsive community-based substance abuse and HIV prevention strategies to 750 Latino youth b) develop and implement bilingual and culturally response grassroots awareness campaigns that will reach 5,000 Latinos c) provide opportunities for screening and testing for HIV and viral hepatitis for at least 1,000 Latinos d) provide trauma informed and healing centered navigation services to link 100% of the youth and young adults to care for HIV and substance abuse and e) provide education and training to substance use disorder treatment and other healthcare providers on the importance of screening for HIV for at least 150 healthcare providers. The evidenced based practices will include: ¡Cuidate!, a comprehensive and culturally responsive HIV prevention curriculum and Too Good for Drugs. For those, 18 to 24, provide HIV 101 and substance abuse 101 educational platicas, cafecitos, y testimonios. Por Vida will utilize the Razalogia Community Outreach Framework, the Barrio Prevention Systems Framework and teachings from Jerry Tello, National Compadre Network as a foundation for the navigation and linkage to services. Proposed program partners will include three border school districts in Tucson, El Rio Community Health Clinic, Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona, Pima County Health Department, Tucson City Council Ward 5 Office Homeless Program, University of Arizona HIV Clinic and University of Arizona LGBTQ Center. Dr. Antonio Estrada will evaluate the project.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
