Re-blog from NACCHO Voice - 9/30/24
The Status Neutral Approach to Improve HIV Prevention and Health Outcomes for Racial and Ethnic Minorities initiative aims to advance the development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of whole-person approaches to reduce disparities, prevent new HIV diagnoses, and improve health outcomes for communities disproportionately affected by HIV and related syndemics. Whole-person approaches to HIV prevention and care emphasize comprehensive and high-quality care to engage and retain people in services.
The SNAP ETAP Initiative is funded by HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau through the Secretary’s Minority HIV/AIDS Fund (MHAF).
Whole-Person Approaches
Goals
- Eliminate stigma
- Make services more accessible
- Help people achieve optimal health and well-being
- Efficiency in service delivery
- Greater health equity
Core Elements
- Offer whole-person, holistic services
- Provide prevention, care, and treatment services regardless of HIV status
Intended Audience
- All people who can benefit from HIV prevention and care services
About the Initiative
The HRSA-funded Status Neutral Approach (SNAP) Evaluation and Technical Assistance Provider (ETAP) team, led by JSI and partnering with NACCHO, supports four funded jurisdictions to develop, implement, and evaluate a whole-person approach that:
- Creates “one door” for both HIV prevention and treatment services.
- Addresses institutionalized HIV stigma by integrating HIV prevention and care.
- Makes HIV testing, linkage to medical care and prevention services, and testing for other medical conditions such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) more accessible and routine.
Participating Jurisdictions
Bexar County
The Bexar All-Inclusive model of care aims to enhance whole-person service delivery and reduce stigma by expanding access to syndemic testing and treatment, and providing navigation services to increase access to a range of sexual health and support services for those who would benefit from both prevention and care. Bexar County is focusing on Hispanic men who have sex with men (MSM), 18 to 65 years old.
Clark County
The Las Vegas TGA aims to tackle the HIV epidemic and foster community involvement by using a whole-person approach. The program provides both preventive and treatment services, building upon the existing Rapid stART method for HIV care, and introducing the Rapid PREVENT approach. This project ensures that all individuals have access to comprehensive healthcare options and supportive services for enhanced health and wellness. It also aims to broaden community involvement and create equitable service pathways for individuals testing positive for HIV, as well as those who can benefit from HIV prevention services. Clark County is focusing on Black women through the lifespan, age 18+.
Hennepin County
Hennepin County will utilize the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program non-medical case management model to provide comprehensive services in Hennepin County. The project will provide more opportunities for effective service delivery by enabling a “one door” approach to care that continually assesses clients’ needs as a way to retain individuals in prevention and care services. HIV prevention and other critical services will be accessed in the same place and as a result, healthcare delivery will improve, new HIV diagnoses will decrease, and clients will have better overall health and social stability. Hennepin County is focusing on Black men aged 18-34 years old.
San Diego County
The County of San Diego is implementing the project to expand existing non-medical case management services to include people who could benefit from HIV prevention services. The project will deploy a Social Network Strategy to expand the County’s outreach and testing services to include communities that have not previously been reached, and revise service standards co-created by the HIV Planning Group and County staff to reflect a whole-person approach to services. The County of San Diego is focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender individuals in the Southeastern region of the county who speak Spanish as their needed or preferred language.
Learn More about the SNAP ETAP Initiative and Subscribe for SNAP ETAP updates.