Summary: JWCH's Los Angeles Substance Use and Mental Disorders Treatment Project (LAST), in partnership with Weingart Center, aims to continue efforts begun with three previous funding cycles (2007-22) to increase engagement in care for racial and ethnic underrepresented persons with substance use disorder and/or co-occurring psychiatric disorders; and reduce acquisition of infectious diseases (HIV, Viral Hepatitis) achieved through the use of evidence-based practices. Services will be provided at the largest clinic dedicated to homeless healthcare in California, JWCH Center for Community Health, located in the heart of Skid Row Los Angeles.
Project Name: Los Angeles Substance Use and Mental Disorders Treatment Project (LAST)
Population: The population of focus is Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latinx men and women experiencing homelessness or are unstably housed, of age 18 and above, inclusive of (based on local epidemiology data on HIV) the under-resourced population of gay, bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (MSM), in Los Angeles Skid Row who are at risk for or experiencing substance use disorder or co-occurring mental disorders. Services will be provided in Skid Row Los Angeles at the largest clinic dedicated to homeless healthcare in California, JWCH Center for Community Health.
Drug/alcohol overdose is the leading cause of death among people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County (LAC Public Health in 2021). In Skid Row, Black people represent 59%, Latinx 23%, and gay/bisexual/gender nonconforming persons 8%, of the people experiencing homelessness (LAHSA 2021).
Strategies and Interventions: JWCH will conduct these evidence-based practices: 1) Matrix model intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment; trauma-informed 2) Seeking Safety substance use and co-occurring mental disorders treatment; 3) Intensive Case Management; and 4) Community PROMISE, a peer-driven communication campaign focused on reducing stigma related to HIV, SUD/COD. This project will provide HIV/viral hepatitis testing and linkage to care/treatment/cure/hepatitis vaccination, linkage to prevention services (PrEP), screening for COD; and referrals to primary care, behavioral health, and other health/social service resources.
Project Goals/Objectives:
Goal: Through the life of the project JWCH will reach the populations of focus at risk for or experiencing SUD/COD and needing ancillary health, medical and social services.
• Objective 1: By the end of each project year, JWCH will deliver Matrix model intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment to 88 persons of the populations of focus, 418 over the life of the project;
• Objective 2: By the end of each project year, JWCH will perform 400 rapid HIV preliminary antibody tests to the populations of focus, 1900 over the life of the project; 100% of persons testing HIV+ will receive Intensive Case Management and be linked to HIV care within 30 days with high risk negatives linked to prevention services (PrEP);
• Objective 3: By the end of each project year, JWCH will perform 100 rapid HBV/HCV tests to the populations of focus, 475 over the life of the project; 80% of those testing positive will be linked to care/treatment/cure.