CrescentCare Minority AIDS Initiative - Project Title: CrescentCare Minority AIDS Initiative Applicant Organization Name: NO/AIDS Task Force dba CrescentCare Address: 1631 Elysian Fields Avenue New Orleans, 70117 Project Director Name: Lucy Cordts, Director of Behavioral Health Phone: 504-821-2601 Fax: 504-662-1686 email: lucy.cordts@crescentcare.org website: www.crescentcare.org NO/AIDS Task Force dba CrescentCare proposes a project to expand and enhance trauma-informed SUD and/or COD treatment coupled with strength-based case management, behavioral health, HIV and viral hepatitis services for high risk populations, with a focus on African American men and youth, LGBT, and transgender individuals. The project will serve Orleans Parish in Louisiana (encompassing the City of New Orleans) which is one of the localities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic and which qualifies the proposal for the priority points. The population of focus is African Americans with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental disorders who are HIV positive or at risk for HIV in the greater New Orleans area. It will focus on those with the greatest disparities in outcomes on the HIV Continuum of Care, including minority MSM, minority youth MSM, and homeless individuals who are HIV positive and will also serve gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Goals for the project are to: Increase engagement in care and retention in care for high risk populations living with HIV; Reduce the negative impact of behavioral health problems and substance use through increased access to and retention in treatment for behavioral health and substance use conditions for individuals in high risk populations living with HIV; Reduce the risk of HIV and HCV for high risk populations through outreach and education services; and Reduce new HIV and viral hepatitis infections by increasing HIV and viral hepatitis testing and diagnosis. The project will serve 50 individuals per year, totaling 250 over the five-year project period and will provide outreach/testing services to an additional 100 individuals each year.
