Friday, November 22, 2024
11/22/2024
San Ysidro Health proposes to expand and enhance is successful Project Balance. This program is designed to serve racial and ethnic medically underserved adults (18 years and above) with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring mental health condition (COD) who are at risk for or living with HIV. It is based in San Diego County, California, a priority jurisdiction under SAMHSA’s TI-23-008 grant. Latinx and Black/African Americans will represent the majority of Project Balance participants since they collectively account for over 50% of San Diego County’s people who live with HIV (PLWH); data monitoring will be conducted to identify other populations who are underrepresented in local public health programs related to SUD/COD/HIV care. SYHealth’s Project Balance proposal for 2023-2028 represents an expansion of its current program scope (2018-2023), currently focusing on Latinx and Black/African American men who have sex with men living in select county regions. With best practices gained from the past five years, SYHealth will expand Project Balance into a countywide program with a universal focus on minority populations regardless of HIV transmission risk. Project Balance is characterized by the support provided by its Case Management team, who is responsible for linking participants to mental health, SUD, and HIV services (including “warm handoffs” to in-house staff) and keeping them engaged in care (including a six-month follow-up post enrollment). Project Balance has a robust engagement protocol, characterized by frequent and systematic one-on-one contacts and ongoing support for participants. Within this framework, participants are linked to SYHealth’s in-house HIV and Behavioral Health Department programs and services for care. As part of planned program enhancements, SYHealth will pilot a new evidence-based practice (Contingency Management) into Project Balance’s model of care. The goal of Project Balance is to engage San Diego County racial/ethnic minorities with SUD/COD who are also living with (or at risk for) HIV into appropriate SUD, mental health, and/or HIV services. SYHealth specifically proposes the following objectives for 2023-2028. Objective #1: By end of Year 5, SYHealth will serve a total of 250 Project Balance participants, with an annual target of 50 participants. For purposes of this objective, participants will be inclusive of all racial/ethnic minority groups. Objectives #2a, #2b, #2c, #2d, #2e, and #2f: By end of each project year, SYHealth will: (a) Conduct 1,000 outreach calls. (b) Engage 80% of Project Balance participants into appropriate SUD and/or mental health care. (c) 80% of Project Balance participants will be tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, and/or Hepatitis C. (d) Engage 90% of Project Balance participants who test positive for HIV, Hepatitis B, and/or Hepatitis C for treatment within 30 days or less of diagnosis. (e) Provide health education and referrals for PrEP services to 80% of Project Balance participants who test negative for HIV. (f) SYHealth will achieve a 80% follow-up rate for enrolled Project Balance participants. Objective #3: By the end of Year 3, SYHealth will conduct a pilot to integrate the Contingency Management evidence-based practice (EBP) into Project Balance’s model of care.
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).
