Migrant Health Center, Western Region, Inc. (MHC) is a non-profit 501c3 corporation established in Puerto Rico (PR); that through its CDC funded program (PS21-2102) has been providing HIV prevention services since 1998 to the population of PWIDs. For this funding opportunity (CDC-RFA-PS22-2203) MHC is requesting the amount of $350,000 per year for the total of performance length of 5 years, under Category A to provide HIV Prevention Services for Young Men of Color Who Have Sex with Men (YMSM of color) and their partners regardless of age, gender and race/ethnicity. The purpose of the proposed program is to address the HIV epidemic by reducing new infections, increasing access to care, and promoting health equity in accordance with the ending the HIV Epidemic and CDC’s comprehensive high-impact HIV prevention approach. MHC is proposing to provide services for people with and at greatest risk for acquiring HIV, particularly Hispanic/Latino YMSM of color (13-34 years), and their partners from the western regions of PR. The target population is one of the prioritized populations in the PR Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan. The proposed program will conduct prioritized HIV Testing, provide status neutral comprehensive high impact HIV prevention services and conduct collaborations, promotion, and recruitment. Some of the proposed strategies to be deploy are: ARTAS, Navigation, PCC, PROMISE integrated screening for STIs, viral hepatitis, and/or TB, condom distribution, and Partnership for Health, among others. MHC will increase access to HIV testing, referrals to partner services, link persons into HIV medical care and adherence services, provide/refer to prevention and support services, including PrEP, regardless of HIV status, and will increase program monitoring and accountability. The proposed program will provide all required program components, activities and strategies. The expected program outcomes are: 1) increased persons from the targe
t population aware of their HIV status by conducting at least 500 HIV tests (identifying at least 8 newly-diagnosed, HIV-positive individuals) annually; 2) increased access to prevention and essential support services by referring/providing at least 90% of YMSM clients to prevention and essential support services, regardless of HIV status; 3) increased receipt of integrated screenings by offering referrals for screenings to 100% of Project participants, resulting in at least 100 provided screening for STIs (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia), viral hepatitis, or TB in conjunction with CDC funded HIV testing annually; 4) increased access to condoms in the proposed geographical areas by offering free condoms to 100% of program participants, and distributing at least 24,000 condoms annually; 5) increased screenings, referrals, and linkage to PrEP by referring/providing at least 90% of YMSM of color at increased risk for acquiring HIV to a PrEP provider; 6) increased linkage to HIV care among newly diagnosed persons by linking at least 90% of persons with newly diagnosed HIV into HIV medical care within 30 days of diagnosis; 7) increased linkage in HIV care among persons with previously diagnosed HIV, not in care, by re-engaging at least 90% of persons previously diagnosed to medical care within 30 days; 8) increased access to Partner Services among newly diagnosed with HIV/STI by referring 100% of persons newly diagnosed within 30 days, in accordance with state regulations; 9) increased access to appropriate medication adherence services by referring/providing at least 90% of clients to medication adherence services for HIV treatment; and 10) increase access to safe spaces among YMSM by providing services on site and directly in the community on places were the target population gather/frequent and feel comfortable. The program will be located in the MHC Special Projects Division Complex at Ave. Dunscombe in Mayaguez and services will be provided in areas of high inciden
ce and prevalence of