JRI Positive Pathways Project: Prevention Navigator Services for Young People at Risk of Substance Misuse and HIV in Suffolk County, MA - Justice Resource Institute, Inc. (JRI) proposes to provide the Positive Pathways Project (“PPP” or “the Project”) to serve those at high risk for HIV and substance use disorders in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. JRI Health, a division of Justice Resource Institute, Inc. (JRI), has been providing critical support services to thousands of people living with and at risk for HIV in Greater Boston for over 25 years helping them access health care, psychosocial support, housing, legal support and related services. The Project will include components ranging from environmental strategies to one-on-one interventions addressing HIV and substance misuse prevention and linkage to care for racial/ethnic minority youth ages 13-29, with a focus on LGBTQ youth, young PWID, PLWH, and youth experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and/or sexual exploitation. PPP will establish and deepen partnerships with community-based organizations and healthcare providers, and offer services at the JRI Health site as well as partner sites. The Project will be grounded in the needs of the community as identified through annual needs assessments and monitored, evaluated, and continuously improved. Goals of the Project include increasing our understanding of SUD/HIV prevention needs of the community, increasing testing and screening among the priority population, increasing awareness of risk reduction behaviors, decreasing risk reduction behaviors, and improving linkage to care and services for the priority population. We anticipate serving 3,000 of individuals in the first year through mobile/clinic testing, engagement through our social media accounts, and live events. We anticipate serving 4,000 individuals per year during years 2-5 of the Project as it gains popularity.
