Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, Inc., (AHRC) is requesting funding to support its HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV) and Substance Abuse (SA) prevention, testing, and linkage to care program for at-risk African American men and women 18-44 living in southwest Atlanta.
The goals of the project are to prevent SA and HIV/AIDS among at-risk African American men and women residing in southwest Atlanta specifically zip codes 30314 and 30318, and to ensure that African American men and women 18-44 living with HIV/AIDS or HCV receive needed services. Toward these ends, the seven main objectives of this project are as follows:
1. Recruit and train 2 Prevention Navigators within the population of focus to deliver HIV, HCV, and SA Prevention services to African American men and women 18-44 within the catchment area.
2. Increase knowledge and prevention skills in at-risk African American men and women 18-44 within the catchment area by providing evidence-based HIV and SA prevention programming to at least 50 unduplicated at-risk African American men and women 18-44 within the catchment area per annum. This will be conducted in locations throughout the MSA, including schools, other community- based organizations, CHRIS 180 club house, Lost and Found Drop-in Center, and AHRC’s Drop-in Center and Safe Spaces.
3. Increase awareness of HIV/HCV including PrEP and SA through strategic media campaigns to reach at least 2500 unduplicated at-risk African American men and women 18-44 per annum. This will utilize comprehensive peer driven social media and advertisement strategies.
4. Increase HIV including PrEP and SA education and safety skills by conducting educational outreach and testing to at least 250 unduplicated at-risk African American men and women 18-44 within catchment area per annum.
5. Increase access of HIV/AIDS treatment including PrEP, HCV treatment, and SA treatment for 150 (2% HIV, 10% substance abuse, 3% VH) unduplicated African American men and women 18-24 within the catchment area identified through screening, outreach, and AHRC evidence- based curricula drop-in center by providing linkage connections to appropriate medical, supportive, and essential services treatment programs within and outside of AHRC.
6. Increase access of HIV testing and education by providing education and training to a minimum of 5 partner agencies who provide SA and medical care.
Our target population are African American men and women 18-44 who have traditionally been the most disconnected from services and the hardest to reach, including those who are impoverished, homeless, SA, or LGBTQ including MSM. 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 SA and HIV/AIDS, and provide better access to care. We propose to serve 50 unduplicated persons per year with a total of 250 over the course of the project.