Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Special Projects of National Significance - Minority HIV/AIDS Fund - Project Title: CASHA: Collaborative Approach to Syndemic Health in Atlanta – Demonstration Site Applicant Organization Name: Positive Impact Health Centers (PIHC) Address: 2800 Century Parkway, NE, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30345 Project Investigator: Justin Smith, MS, MPH Project Director: Michelle Allen, MPH Evaluator: Dr. Jamila Easley, DrPH, MPH Contact: 404.600.2420 Email: Justin.Smith@pihcga.org and Michelle.Allen@pihcga.org Website: www.positiveimpacthealthcenters.org Summary of Project: CASHA: Collaborative Approach to Syndemic Health in Atlanta is a project that aims to improve HIV care and treatment for people from racial and ethnic minority groups through a system-level syndemic approach. The approach addresses the following factors: 1) engagement and retention in primary HIV care, 2) care and treatment for co-occurring and interacting conditions, including Mental Health (MH) and/or substance abuse (SA) conditions, and 3) addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), including access to care, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), food insecurity, unstable housing, and gender-affirming care. PIHC will integrate a system-level approach with community-based navigation services and a capacity-building component to mentor and guide small community-based organizations (CBOs) that prioritize serving racial/ethnic minority populations and are also led by members of these communities. This intervention aims to expand the community's reach, facilitate a smooth transition, and accelerate the process of connecting individuals newly diagnosed with HIV, out of care, or at greatest risk of being lost to care in metro Atlanta. This effort is intended to contribute to ending the HIV epidemic. Priority Population(s): Black and Latino gay, bisexual, and other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM), Black cisgender women, Black transgender women, and young Black MSM 18-24. Goals and Objectives: Overall - 90% of CASHA clients will be retained in HIV care, with 90% of retained clients achieving viral suppression and: Client Level Outcomes: 200 newly diagnosed individuals with HIV or individuals who are not receiving HIV care will be connected to rapid entry/same-day care and treatment and MH/SA services, and SDOH support at PIHC. This will be done through Navigators at four racial/ethnic minority-focused CBOs: 1) THRIVE SS, 2) Latino LinQ, 3) H.Y.P.E to Empower, and 4) a Black Cis/Transgender Women's CBO (year 2). • Reduced Disease Burden • Enhanced Treatment Effectiveness • Reduced Healthcare Costs System-Level Outcomes: • Increased Access to Care • Empowerment and Social Support • Reduced Health Disparities • Improved Data Collection and Analysis • Development of Best Practices • More Effective Resource Allocation Summary of Funding: PIHC requests $500,000 for the first year and $700,000 for years 2-4
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