LCHC Prevention Navigator Project - Project Abstract The purpose of the Leadership Council for Healthy Communities’ (LCHC) Prevention Navigator Project is to provide expedited services to persons at high risk of substance use disorders (SUD) and HIV by utilizing a navigation approach to access clinical and community service providers. The project focuses on racial minorities in the District of Columbia, a hardest hit locality by the HIV epidemic. Education and training about the risks of SUD and HIV will be provided and the project will connect high risk individuals to needed linkages for service provisions The Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, based in the District of Columbia, is an organization dedicated to African Americans and other minorities achieve health equity. The LCHC Prevention Navigator Project will provide services to adults (aged 18 years and older) at high risk for substance use disorders (SUD), especially opioid use disorders (OUD), and/or are at high risk for HIV/AIDS, and viral hepatitis infection using a navigation approach. According to the 2014 DC EMA Consumer Survey, mental health issues are the most common cooccurring condition for people living with HIV. SUD are also addressed through mental health services or behavioral health services. The survey identified several service gaps or barriers to care, including (1) cost and availability of housing, (2) dental care, (3) mental health care, (4) cost of insurance co-pay and premiums, and (5) not enough community health workers or peer support. With the number of service providers and in view of the service gaps, prevention navigators are an essential part of connecting high-risk persons with needed services. Providers of other social determinants of health (SDOH) services are also important to the healthcare infrastructure.. The goals of the project are: (1) Increase awareness of and access to clinical and community linkages for District of Columbia (DC) residents at high risk for SUD and HIV by implementing a navigation approach to comprehensive prevention services, (2) Increase the capacity of participating faith institutions to reduce stigma associated with SUD, HIV/AIDS, HEP, and mental disorders by engaging their members in evidence-based practices (EBP) that promote culturally sensitive information, education, and trainings, and (3) Increase capacity of prevention navigators to coordinate and communicate health benefits of connecting providers of clinical and social determinants of health (SDOH) services to help reduce risk factors SUD and increase screening and testing for HIV and HEP. By the end of the first year of operations, LCHC will provide prevention navigation services including screenings, testing, referrals and/or follow up documentation for at least 200 persons at high risk of SUD and HIV;1; and implement an awareness campaign with various communications channels, including print, electronic, and social media. The project is expected to serve at least 200 unduplicated persons in the first year, and 1,000 – 1,200 over a five-year period.
