Desert AIDs Project d/b/a DAP Health (DAP) Project Abstract Address: 1695 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Project Director: CJ Tobe, Director of Community Health & Sexual Wellness: 760-323-2118; cjtobe@daphealth.org Website Address: www.daphealth.org Identification of Category: HIV Care Innovation Selected Activity: Community Health Workers Project Summary: For this proposed HIV Care Innovation project, DAP will develop and implement a Community Health Workers (CHW) HIV Outreach and Engagement Program to expand and enhance DAP’s existing Early Intervention Services (EIS), part of our RWHAP funded services. The goal of DAP’s proposed CHW HIV Outreach program is meet the need to improve rates of diagnosis and linkage to care in DAP’s Transitional Grant Area for targeted high-risk populations, to include Latinx, Black/African-American, Men who have Sex with Men, and Transgender Women. The objective of our proposed HIV Care Innovation project is to develop a framework for CHWs within DAP’s established and comprehensive HIV services encompassing the entire HIV care continuum: testing/diagnosis, linkage to care, retention in care, primary HIV care and wrap-around support services (dental care; integrated behavioral health care including substance use disorder counseling; case management; peer-led support groups for individuals living with HIV; food distribution; housing placement assistance; job placement assistance; and wellness services) supporting HIV-positive clients to achieve viral suppression. As a bridge between high-risk populations and HIV care, CHWs will facilitate access to EIS, which in turn will determine and confirm HIV diagnosis and rapidly link newly diagnosed and returning to care individuals to HIV care and treatment. Proposed activities include developing strategies, creating workflows, policies, and procedures, and adapting existing policies and procedures to implement a new CHW program; recruiting culturally and lingui
stically competent CHWs who are members or reflective of high-risk populations; providing CHW training for newly hired CHWs and their supervisors; collaboration with community partners for placement of CHWs, and strategic placement of CHWs in communities for outreach to and engagement of targeted high-risk populations. DAP will initiate a broad- based recruitment strategy using DAP social media channels, print media, outreach to DAP’s Client Advisory Board (CAB) and community partners. Successful CHW candidates will demonstrate cultural competence, including examples of lived/shared experience within their communities such as living with HIV; experiencing stigma within their population based on sexual identity; or general fear of engaging in healthcare, and the ability and willingness to connect with and serve their respective communities. To ensure success for newly hired CHWs, DAP will provide thorough training about the roles and responsibilities of CHWs including topics such as stigma and discrimination related to HIV, communication skills, motivational interviewing, maintaining professional boundaries, understanding social determinants of health, and overcoming challenges in engaging hard-to-reach, high-risk populations. In implementing this proposed program, DAP will maintain ongoing collaborations with local partners who also serve PLWHA and individuals at high-risk for acquiring HIV. Funding Amount Requested: $150,000 Identification of Funding Preference Requested: Qualification 2: Underserved Populations DAP HRSA-22-019 Project Abstract Page 1