Making the Connection: Promoting Engagement and Retention in HIV Medical Care Among Hard-to-Reach Populations

Techniques, case studies, and multiple outreach/intake/monitoring tools on engaging and retaining hard-to-reach PLWHA in care, by the HRSA/SPNS Outreach Initiative. 

HRSA/SPNS Outreach Initiative Programs 

1. Building a niche in the continuum of HIV services to find and connect people living with HIV/AIDS to care CareLink Program, Cascade AIDS Project, Portland, OR.
2. Building community wide efforts to engage and retain people living with HIV/AIDS in care through Health System Navigation The Fenway Institute, Fenway Community Health, Boston, MA.
3. An algorithm to identify the most vulnerable populations Well-Being Institute, Detroit, MI.
4. The Retention Care Coordinator Program: Adapting internal program services to retain the most vulnerable in care Whitman-Walker Clinic, Washington, DC.
5. Training and supervising staff in appropriate treatment delivery Horizons Project, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
6. Retaining at risk women in care: Incorporating a motivational intervention into a clinical setting Caring Connections, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
7. Strengthening community partnerships to serve people of color Konnect II Client Advocacy Program, People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN), Seattle, WA.
8. Engaging in community participatory research to evaluate an intervention to engage and retain people in HIV care Drew University Mobile Health Outreach Project/UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
9. Staying on track: Management systems to track staff efforts in keeping hard-to-reach people living with HIV/AIDS in care Project Bridge, The Miriam Hospital; Providence, RI.

Observations

• Measuring success: Practical tools for program evaluation.
• Staff strategies: Perspectives from the field.
• Conclusions from the HRSA/SPNS Outreach Initiative.