La Clínica del Pueblo’s project Proyecto Enlace will continue and build on our existing Prevention Navigator project funded under SAMHSA SP-17-004 that will conclude on 09/30/2022. The project will prevent substance misuse and the transmission of HIV and hepatitis among Latinx men who have sex with men (LMSM) and Latinx transgender women (LTG) ages 18-35 in the Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County, Md. through a navigation program, substance use and HIV prevention counseling, and HIV and viral hepatitis testing, reaching 300 individuals annually. We will also raise awareness about the risks of substance misuse for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis and promote the substance misuse and HIV prevention and navigation services with our population of focus through a social marketing campaign that will reach 5,400 people annually. Our culturally and linguistically competent program will leverage peer health promoters and community health educators to increase access and utilize evidence-based interventions focused on preventing substance use and HIV. We will utilize three evidence-based interventions in our project: Personalized Cognitive Counseling (PCC) to provide brief 1-1 prevention counseling on HIV and substance use prevention; CLEAR to provide a multi-session HIV and substance use prevention education and counseling for high-risk LMSM and LTG; and Community of PROMISE to promote awareness and understanding of HIV prevention and substance use prevention at the community level. Our comprehensive navigation program will ensure access to medical care, behavioral health services, and housing support as well as any other needed service for our population of focus who face multiple barriers to health. As an FQHC and Ryan White provider of a comprehensive package of services including outpatient ambulatory care, medical and non-medical case management, substance use treatment, and behavioral health services, La Clínica can provide access to care for any participant in the proposed project who tests positive for HIV or hepatitis out of our two primary care sites in DC and Prince George’s County. In addition, for those clients who may prefer a different provider, we are able to connect them to our partner FQHCs for testing and treatment. La Clínica del Pueblo has been providing community-based HIV prevention services specifically for LGBTQ+ Latinx youth since 2006 through its Empodérate Program (Spanish for "Empower Yourself"). The program operates two drop-in safe spaces in the region, its primary site in Washington DC (separate from our clinical site), and a secondary location in neighboring Prince George's County, Md. (incorporated in our Maryland-based clinical site).
