Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Under the category of HIV Care Innovation, Positively U, Inc’s (PUI) is requesting $150,000 to address the complex challenges of re-engaging those with HIV who have fallen out of care and providing early linkage to primary HIV care by building relationships with strategic, non-traditional partners in the various EHE jurisdictions. PUI will partner with a broad range of organizations beyond the traditional healthcare setting to access hard-to-reach populations with a focus on entities that provide housing and employment services, mental health, substance use treatment facilities, social services agencies, food security services, and homeless shelters. The proposed Part C Capacity Development program will successfully augment PUI’s existing RWHAP services to provide a more whole person care support system and create more effective, culturally competent and sustainable pathways to re-engagement, ensuring that people with HIV receive the comprehensive care they need to achieve optimal health outcomes. The proposed RWHAP Capacity Development project will address the following steps on the HIV Care Continuum: linkage to care, received medical care, retained in care and achieving/maintaining viral suppression. By engaging non-traditional partners PUI will increase the number of individuals identified from hard to reach populations who have dropped out of care and/or those who need to be linked to care. Once enrolled in medical care, PUI’s proposed initiative will support individuals to be retained in care by strengthening comprehensive support systems for individuals living with HIV on their path to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. PUI will achieve the proposed program goals and objectives by implementing both categories of the Strategic Partnerships activity: Partnership Development and Training and Capacity Development. Program objectives include crafting and executing a plan to collaborate with strategic, non-traditional partners; developing and maintaining a robust network of culturally responsive referral partnerships; training peer navigators to provide support and navigate care systems, offering mentorship and fostering trust within the community; employing a Strategic Partnerships Lead to meet, engage, and identify health-related partners in the local community, establish partnerships, educate partners on RWHAP programs in the community, and oversee and implement the partnership plan; and, develop and promote tools, trainings, and resources for community organizations (e.g. primary care, behavioral health, social service, etc.) serving with those priority populations with HIV and those groups at highest risk for HIV infection. Positively U’s proposed RWHAP Part C Capacity Development program will be geared towards people living with HIV who have fallen out of care and are members of underserved and hard to reach populations, including individuals who experience intersecting identities and compounding Social Determinants of Health due to factors like housing insecurity/ experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, mental health challenges, SUD, etc.
