Program:
Innovations in the Continuum of Care
- Budget:
-
$543,766
- Category:
-
Human Services, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Ethnic/Racial Minorities -- General
-
Females, all ages or age unspecified
-
Gays/Lesbians
Program Description:
In 2010, AAC was chosen as one of ten recipients of the Serve America Social Innovation Funds to connect economically and socially marginalized individuals living with HIV to high quality supportive services and health care.The result is an Integrated and Expanded Continuum of Care designed to: -provide comprehensive support in the crisis of diagnosis, the achievement of stability, and maintenance throughout life -engage the most disproportionately affected populations in greater Boston area: US and non-US born black women, men who have sex with men (MSM), and current or former injection drug users (IDUs) -integrate legal services, mental health services, housing and case management services and peer support into one team - develop effective, culturally competent services by integrating HIV positive peers into medical Health Navigation teams - improve economic stability by maximizing benefit enrollment and providing training, education, and employment opportunities
Program Long-Term Success:
In AAC's service area, people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly people from the communities disproportionately affect by AIDS, will get into and remain in care. As a result, they will experience improved health outcomes and reduced mortality, will utilize less expensive care, and will reduce the transmission of HIV.
Program Short-Term Success:
Over a 12-month period, - among clients who utilize intensive services 50% will show improved HIV healthcare utilization 50% will improve adherence to prescribed treatments 75% will be able to identify their most recent CD4 count and most recent viral load; - among clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness 50% will secure housing 70% will demonstrate strategies to improve housing stability 100% who are eligible will access AAC's Rental Assistance Program; - among clients who are currently engaged in care 30 will attend workforce readiness programs 50% will show improved strategies to obtain and sustain self-sufficiency (increased engagement in care, adherence to medication and visits and/or engagement in mental health treatment) 25% will transition to Stabilization services or discharge 25% will increase their financial management knowledge and skills 40% will engage in a VIEW (Vocational, Involvement in the Community, Education & Work) activity
Program Success Monitored by:
Case notes and client self-reports, including BPHC client scale and HUD measures; follow-up of supported referrals; logs one-to-one engagements with peer staff; group attendance records; program reports; contract funder assessments of program success
Program Success Examples:
From one of AAC's staff: At one point my life was spiraling out of control. My relationship ended. I had to drop out of school. I started going out to clubs trying to feel more connected. I was afraid that I was HIV positive, but I couldn't face getting tested. A friend told me about AIDS Action's MALE Center. When I first walked in, I felt right at home. The guys who worked there knew what I was going through—especially my counselor Michael. He was with me when my doctor told me that I am HIV positive. I have never felt such support. But the next few months, my life spiraled even further out of control. I tried crystal meth and drank even more. I was barely able to pay my rent. But even though I had given up on myself, AIDS Action never gave up on me. With Michael's guidance, I stopped experimenting with drugs. I cut out the drunken nights. And I started attending a group for guys in their 20s who are HIV positive. Today, I work for AIDS Action Committee as a peer leader.
Program:
Youth on Fire Drop-in for Homeless Youth
- Budget:
-
$253,139
- Category:
-
Health Care, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
-
Homeless
-
Gays/Lesbians
Program Description:
Homeless youth are resourceful and resilient, but living on the streets exposes them to the risk of HIV/AIDS and other diseases with lifelong impact, violence, sexual exploitation, and addiction. Youth on Fire helps young people harness their resilience to overcome obstacles and turn their lives toward a more stable, productive direction. Youth on Fire is open five days and one evening a week. Services are designed in three tiers: - to meet the most basic day to day needs of homeless and street-involved youth— safety, warmth, food, showers, laundry, first aid supplies, underwear and socks - to create opportunities for youth to obtain support and encouragement, connecting them with employment, housing, and medical and mental health care - to assist youth in identifying and meeting goals for the next steps in their lives.
Program Long-Term Success:
Intervention at this stage of life can make the critical difference between facing a life full of possibility and becoming chronically homeless. As a result of Youth on Fire's work, these young people will avoid HIV, avoid or recover from addictions, become housed and build a future through employment or education.
Program Short-Term Success:
In a 12 month period, -150 high risk youth (50% of participants) engage in on-site medical or mental health care, substance use counseling, resume building and job search, assistance in obtaining affordable housing, and other supports; - 30 youth participate in leadership opportunities -50 youth are trained and supplied with Narcan, an opiod overdose reversing medication -10 presentations about life as homeless youth are presented to social and medical providers and to social work students
Program Success Monitored by:
Case notes and participant self-reports, follow-up of supported referrals, logs of one-to-one engagements with peer staff, group attendance records, program reports, contract funder assessments of program success, member steering committee meetings
Program Success Examples:
John became homeless after aging out of the foster care system. In his own words, John explains the impact of Youth on Fire: ""At AIDS Action the staff is friendly, but the fact that there's LGBT staff here is a majorly cool thing for me. When I came to Boston, I was basically going from shelter to shelter. I'm in transitional housing now. It's a big house with four other people plus two resident assistants. I'm pretty self-sufficient. I don't really need a whole lot of stuff. I can figure out how to do things for myself. But the emotional support, having someone to talk with has been really helpful. Staff at AIDS Action's Youth on Fire seem to really care. They're like real people. They don't set this example of a perfectionist ideal. They're real people with real emotions. Plus another thing is that they're not suffocating you. They're not like, 'What are you doing?' They're like, 'What do you need?' I'm also doing the queer youth group with Maggie."
Program:
On-site Pharmacy Collaboration to Improve Medical Adherence
- Budget:
-
$75,000
- Category:
-
Health Care, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
-
Homeless
Program Description:
Taking HIV medications when and how they are supposed to be taken is extremely important. It can also be quite challenging, especially to people who are marginally housed or struggling with mental health or addiction issues. AAC supports clients in this challenge through a new collaboration to provide comprehensive pharmacy services to AAC clients. AAC's pharmacy partner is a specialty pharmacy focused exclusively on providing medications and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS. They are opening a full service pharmacy onsite in AAC's Amory Street services center; home delivery and access centers at other AAC sites extend pharmacy services to all AAC clients. Pharmacy staff are expert at coordinating insurance and benefits and working with physicians so that clients will have uninterrupted access to their HIV medications. With client permission, case workers can work with pharmacy staff to monitor prescription refills and detect when clients might be falling out of care.
Program Long-Term Success:
People who face challenges adhering to HIV medication regimens will achieve high rates of success, resulting in better health outcomes and lowered community viral load
Program Short-Term Success:
- AAC clients access HIV medications without interruptions caused by physicians failing to renew or insurance companies not getting paperwork - Homeless clients have access to a regular supply of their HIV medications
Program Success Monitored by:
client self-reports, case manager follow up notes, pharmacy reports to case managers when permitted by clients
Program Success Examples:
Program will be implemented September 22, 2011.
Program:
Legal and Advocacy Services
- Budget:
-
$165,788
- Category:
-
Crime & Legal, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
Program Description:
The integrated service model helps clients to increase their success at staying in care by addressing all their needs in one place. Legal and advocacy services are an essential piece of this model. A team of attorneys and interns provide AAC clients with free advice, negotiation, and litigation services in the areas of housing, family law, benefits denial, discrimination, and estate planning. These services not only help to mitigate clients' destabilizing situations, but help the service team anticipate and prevent them. For example, there is wide consensus that housing is essential to HIV treatment and prevention. Therefore Client Advocates work with Legal Department staff to help clients overcome barriers to housing, such as CORI and credit issues, and to prevent eviction and fight discrimination. In addition, clients facing ongoing reassessments of HIV-related disability status receive legal help in navigating the public benefits system and fighting unfair denials of services.
Program Long-Term Success:
As a result of legal support to remain housed and to receive benefits for which they qualify, clients will remain in HIV care, resulting in better health outcomes, reduced medical costs, and reduced community viral load
Program Short-Term Success:
- 400 AAC clients will access legal support in a 12-month period - 100% of AAC clients in need of legal advice, negotiation, or litigation will have timely access to legal resources
Program Success Monitored by:
- case notes of internal referrals - program records of clients' retention of housing, access to entitlements and public benefits, employment of persons not permanently disabled, retention of child custody and visitation, receive child support
Program Success Examples:
N., a client of AAC, has been living with HIV for over twenty years. His source of income isSSI, as he is disabled. He suffered from anxiety and was socially withdrawn. After his parents died, he experienced a deep depression, which increased his isolation and anxiety. N.'s physician, an AIDS specialist, recommended that he have a dog for companionship. N.'s landlord instituted a no pets policy and tried to evict him, denying that his health condition had anything to do with having a dog and causing him great stress over a period of months. AAC's legal staff sued and successfully argued that because he was disabled and his physician had prescribed the companionship of a dog, it was illegal to try to evict him. The magistrate ruled that the landlord was in the wrong and ordered him to pay $25,000 in damages to N.