Monday, March 17, 2025
3/17/2025
Abstract Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit AIDS Services Organization (ASO) located in Columbia South Carolina. For more than 30 years PALSS has been recognized as a safe haven for people of all races or sexual orientation to seek information, HIV testing and prevention services, and services for linkage and retention in care. PALSS assists people living with HIV with direct primary care and integrated substance abuse and mental health counseling, housing assistance, food pantry services, transportation, and other services to help them stay in care. African Americans represent 27% of the state population, but comprise 68% of the PLWHA in SC. Youth represent the fastest growing rate of HIV incidence in SC with people age 20-24 accounting for 19% of newly diagnosed cases in 2016-2017. The HIV epidemic in South Carolina is predominantly driven by sexual exposure, primarily among men who have sex with men and heterosexuals at risk. Drug use is known to be a major factor in the spread of HIV infection. In spite of the fact that many SC youth engage in sexual activity with multiple partners before age 18, the public school system adheres to abstinence only sex education curricula leaving youth ill-informed about behavior that puts them at risk or preventive measures that they can take against HIV. The population of focus for this initiative will be racial and ethnic minority youth, between the ages of 18 and 24. The geographic catchment area will be Richland, Lexington, Fairfield and Newberry Counties in South Carolina. Richland County is home to approximately one quarter of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the state, and will be the initial target area for this program. Through the SAMHSA Peer Navigator program PALSS proposes to provide HIV and substance abuse prevention education, testing and linkage to care services to minority youth using the services of peer educators; and training to health providers and staff of community organizations to raise awareness of HIV risk factors. We anticipate that over the five year project period the program will result in 970 community partner organization staff receiving training resulting in 1,080 referrals to PALSS for prevention education, testing and/or linkage to care services; through outreach at least 2,920 at risk youth will receive prevention education and access to HIV testing, prevention and linkage to care services; and at least 960 will be tested for HIV.
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).