The RWHAP Best Practices Compilation gathers and disseminates interventions that improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Explore the Compilation to find inspiration and new ideas for improving the care of people with HIV. Learn more about the Best Practices Compilation and submit your innovation today for possible inclusion.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 54
This data-to-care (D2C) initiative, implemented by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and its affiliated clinics from 2015–2017, used three sources of data to identify people not in care: HIV surveillance data, healthcare provider referrals, and electronic health record (EHR) data. LINCS navigators then used disease intervention searching tools and EHR data to locate clients and connect them to an HIV care provider. LINCS navigators followed up with clients for 90 days to support engagement in care. LINCS participants were more likely to be retained in care and virally suppressed after the intervention than before.
Evidence-based intervention
People with HIV who are not in care
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Outreach and reengagement activities; Data utilization approach
San Francisco, CA
From 2016 through 2019, three clinics—AIDS Care Group, Howard Brown Health, and Meharry Medical College—participated in a RWHAP Part F SPNS DEII initiative to implement peer linkage and re-engagement interventions for women of color with HIV. Integrating peers into HIV primary care teams has been effective in better engaging women of color in care.
Emerging intervention
Women of color; Women
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Outreach and reengagement activities
Sharon, PA
Chicago, IL
Nashville, TN
Ten organizations across the U.S. integrated Community Health Workers (CHWs) into their multidisciplinary care teams. Enrolled clients had statistically significant improvements in viral suppression, antiretroviral therapy prescription, and appointment attendance after six months in the program.
Evidence-informed intervention
People with HIV
Retention in HIV medical care; Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Viral suppression
Support service delivery model
Birmingham, AL
Mobile, AL
Fort Myers, FL
Lake Charles, LA
New Orleans, LA
Baltimore, MD
University Health uses peers and patient navigators to provide support, reduce barriers, and improve linkage and retention to care for women and youth with HIV. Two peers with lived experience were hired as Outreach Specialists to spearhead the program, encourage medication adherence and use of services, and provide mentoring. The intervention was successful in moderately improving the numbers of clients linked to care, retained in care, and virally suppressed.
Emerging intervention
Youth ages 13 to 24; Women
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Outreach and reengagement activities
San Antonio, TX
Routine Universal Screening for HIV (RUSH) provides non-medical case management services, opt-out HIV testing, and linkage to care for emergency department patients. The intervention automatically screens patients for HIV if they are aged 16 years or older, are having an IV inserted, or are having blood drawn for other reasons, unless the patient opts out. RUSH provides access to testing earlier in disease progression, bridging disparities that primarily impact people of color. It also promotes linkage to and retention in care for those with a positive HIV test result. Clients with a positive HIV test in the emergency department who had a prior diagnosis of HIV were more likely to be retained in care and to reach viral suppression.
Evidence-informed intervention
All clients
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Houston, TX
Project CONNECT uses linkage coordinators to effectively engage people in HIV medical care. It focuses on people with newly diagnosed HIV or people with HIV who are transferring their care or have been out of care. AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland implemented Project CONNECT as part of E2i, an initiative funded by the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017–2021. Project CONNECT was successful in increasing the number of clients retained in HIV care and who reached viral suppression.
Evidence-informed intervention
People with a new diagnosis of HIV; Black gay and bisexual men; People with HIV who are not in care
Retention in HIV medical care; Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Viral suppression
Support service delivery model
Cleveland, OH
The goals of the Emergency Department and Hospital-Based Data Exchange for Real-Time Data to Care (ED Alert) intervention are to reengage people with HIV in care and to improve viral suppression rates. This is achieved using a real-time data exchange system that connects clients presenting to the emergency department with health department linkage specialists. ED Alert increased viral load testing and viral suppression over six months following a provider visit in the post-intervention period.
Evidence-informed intervention
People with HIV who are not in care
Linkage to HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model; Data utilization approach
Seattle, WA
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services was one of seven health departments funded by Leveraging a Data to Care Approach to Cure Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Within the RWHAP Part F SPNS initiative implemented from 2020–2022. With the support of the Yale University School of Medicine, which served as the Technical Assistance Provider, MDHHS matched RWHAP and HIV and HCV surveillance data, calculated HCV viral clearance cascades for coinfected populations, and worked with three RWHAP clinics to generate clinic-based lists of coinfected clients and conduct outreach and linkage to HCV treatment.
Emerging intervention
People with HCV
Beyond the care continuum
Data utilization approach; Outreach and reengagement activities
MI
LA Links is a combined data-to-care and client navigation approach that cross-references routinely collected HIV surveillance data with other secondary data sources to identify and locate people with HIV who are not in care, as well as those who are in care, but with high viral loads. Originally implemented in 2013 as part of the Care and Prevention in the United States Demonstration Project, LA Links improved linkage to care, reengagement in care, and viral suppression. Louisiana expanded the program statewide in 2016.
Evidence-informed intervention
People with HIV who are not in care; People with a new diagnosis of HIV
Linkage to HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Data utilization approach; Outreach and reengagement activities
Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport, LA
Through the Practice Transformation Project, the Native American Community Clinic and Midwest AIDS Education and Training Center developed strategies to increase testing and linkage to care within the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and for those who inject drugs and are experiencing homelessness. These ongoing efforts have increased HIV testing rates by 10 percentage points through harm reduction, community outreach, and culturally sensitive strategies.
Emerging intervention
American Indian/Alaska Native people; People who inject drugs (PWID); People who are unstably housed
HIV diagnosis; Linkage to HIV medical care
Clinical service delivery model
Minneapolis, MN