Boulder County AIDS Project

BCAP works to improve the lives of PLHIV, reduce transmission, and end stigma. BCAP’s mission-driven goals are to increase access to and engagement in medical care and treatment to improve health outcomes for PLHIV and people living with hepatitis C (HCV); reduce HIV/HCV transmission; increase community HIV- and HCV-related awareness, education, and advocacy; and achieve a more coordinated regional response to the HIV/HCV syndemic. BCAP's goals align with the “Colorado HIV/AIDS Strategy” and “National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States.”

In working towards these goals, BCAP’s HIV Care Services and Prevention Services decrease housing, food, and water insecurity; reduce opioid overdose; reduce costs to the healthcare system; and decrease societal stigma around issues of HIV, HCV, substance use, and sex.

Primary strategies to strengthen engagement in care/treatment and achieve an undetectable HIV viral load among PLHIV in the region include:
• Provide specialized case management, including individualized Wellness Plans
• Provide assistance to access medical and behavioral health care and insurance coverage
• Provide financial assistance for basic needs (i.e. housing, utilities, transportation, oral healthcare)
• Provide customized food pantry services
• Provide pro bono support (i.e. psychotherapy and legal)

Primary strategies to reduce HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) transmission in the region include:
• Provide rapid, confidential, and free HIV/HCV/STI counseling, testing, and referrals
• Provide comprehensive PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Services
• Provide syringe access and harm reduction services to people who use/inject drugs
• Provide street outreach services to people who use/inject drugs and people experiencing homelessness
• Provide outreach, educational presentations, and programming in the community
• Provide safer sex supplies (e.g. condoms, lubrication)

Currently, BCAP is one of three lead HIV Service Organizations in the state of Colorado, has offices in Boulder and Longmont, and employs up to 15 full-time staff, including seven HIV Care Services, four Prevention Services, two Development, and two Administration.

Fifteen members compose BCAP’s Board of Directors (BOD) and are representative of the diverse communities the BCAP serves. The BOD is actively recruiting members to assist with governance and strategic planning. Each year, 100% of BCAP BOD members make a personally significant financial contribution to the Agency. The BOD meets monthly, and members serve 3-year terms with the ability to renew for a total of 6 years.

BCAP's volunteers provide support in many important roles including food pantry services, harm reduction services, special events, and BOD-level committee members. Dedicated professionals contribute pro bono professional services including psychotherapy, legal assistance, and graphic design. Volunteers who interact with clients directly complete eight hours of HIV-specific training. In 2022, BCAP had 70 active volunteers ensuring BCAP served its mission and met its goals for the year.

BCAP collaborates with government entities including Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE), BCPH, and Health and Human Services who work with BCAP under contracts and MOUs to support health equity for people living with or at risk of acquiring HIV/HCV. For example, BCAP and BCPH have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and two subcontracts to coordinate testing, PrEP, syringe access, and overdose prevention services. Through this BAA, BCAP receives program support, technical assistance, and quality assurance for these prevention services. BCAP partners with the State Naloxone Bulk Program to make naloxone more accessible. BCAP’s staff engage with healthcare providers, including a BAA with Boulder Community Hospital’s Beacon Center for Infectious Diseases (BCH-BCID), regarding client medical care, treatment, and adherence. Staff work with other nonprofits including Community Food Share, The Inn Between, El Comité de Longmont, Emergency Family Assistance Association, Sister Carmen Community Center, Out Boulder County, and TGTHR to obtain basic needs for PLHIV and other clients. Staff collaborate with jails, treatment centers, school districts, and other CBOs to provide testing, syringe access, street outreach, educational presentations, and/or awareness activities to reach people at increased risk of acquiring HIV/HCV. BCAP participates in 12 state and regional advisory groups. Collaborations support a coordinated response to the HIV/HCV syndemic, encourage resource sharing, promote strategic expansion, respond to gaps in service, and minimize duplication of services.

In 2022, BCAP provided HIV Care Services to people living with HIV (PLHIV) and Prevention Services to people at risk of acquiring HIV and/or hepatitis C (HCV).

HIV Care Services ensured that 248 PLHIV had access to specialized case management services, medical care and insurance coverage, and basic needs assistance with housing, transportation, utilities, and oral healthcare. This represents 42% of ~590 people known to be living with HIV in BCAP’s service area. BCAP provided financial assistance for emergency hotel stays, eviction prevention, and security deposits to 73 PLHIV experiencing housing insecurity. BCAP managed TBRA housing subsidies for 18 PLHIV. BCAP managed a subsidized group home of PLHIV. BCAP provided financial assistance for utilities to 44 PLHIV. BCAP provided transportation assistance to 48 PLHIV. BCAP provided financial assistance for oral healthcare to 23 PLHIV. 75 PLHIV were served by BCAP’s Boulder food pantry via curb-side pick-up and home deliveries.
• 98% of PLHIV enrolled in BCAP case management were linked to a medical home and retained access to medical care
• 86% of PLHIV enrolled in BCAP case management had an undetectable viral load at the time of most recent lab work.

Prevention Services helped reduce HIV and HCV transmission through early detection, rapid linkage to care, harm reduction strategies, risk reduction supplies distribution, and educational outreach. Prevention Services reached ~14,000 people, prioritizing populations at increased risk of HIV and HCV acquisition as determined by public health surveillance data. BCAP conducted 557 HIV, HCV, and/or STI tests, with pre- and post-test counseling and referrals; provided 611 outreach & education activities (educational presentations, tabling at events, offsite testing events, online outreach, and street outreach); and distributed 11,180 condoms/lubrication. BCAP provided 770 people who use and/or inject drugs (PWU/ID) and/or are experiencing homelessness w/ food & harm reduction resources through syringe access services, and distributed 721 Narcan kits through syringe access and street outreach services. Narcan is a medication used to reverse opioid overdose.
• 74% of PWU/ID tested for HCV chose to participate in BCAP’s syringe access services, thereby reducing HIV/HCV transmission
• 28% of people tested for HIV were linked to PrEP or were in the linkage to care process, thereby reducing HIV transmission