Project Title: Enhanced Outreach for the Treatment and Support of HIV Positive and other High Risk Youth.

Grantee: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Location: P.O. Box 54700 Mailstop #2, Los Angeles, CA 90054

Phone 213.669.4506; FAX 213 .664.8365

Project Director: Arlene Schneir

Category: (A)

Adolescents Targeted: Young men who have sex with men, injection drug using youth, sexual partners of injection drug using youth, homeless youth and other high risk youth in Los Angeles, California.

Problem Statement: Currently it is estimated that as many as 75% of the youth living with HIV in Los Angeles County are not receiving HIV-related services; it is suspected that many of these youth are unaware of their HIV sero-status, while others are avoiding care because of fear, denial, and/or they do not know how to access available services. Outreach to youth must be strategic and targeted in order to identify those at highest risk. Identified youth must in turn be linked with a comprehensive array of services, including health screening, primary health care, and HIV/STD counseling and testing. HIV-seropositive youth must be offered prevention/risk reduction counseling.

Model Description: Targeted and focused outreach will be conducted by peer and professional staff to subpopulations of greatest risk for HIV-i.e., young men who have sex with men, injection drug using youth and their sexual partners; outreach will occur at HIV testing sites, community clinics, and adult HIV care sites. Identified youth will be linked with SPNS services including health screening, primary health care and treatment, HIV/STD testing and counseling, mental health services, substance abuse counseling, intensive case management and other support services. Peer educators/advocates will join the project to develop and deliver supportive services for SPNS clients. This model is innovative and merits evaluation because of the integration of services for positive and negative youth, and the use of a peer empowerment program to assist with outreach, linkage, support and retention.

Program Accomplishments: With all project goals and objectives having been accomplished during the past three years, evaluation findings are being examined to identify successful approaches to identifying and caring for HIV-seropositive and other high risk youth-i.e., lessons learned.

Continuation Project Enhancements and Changes: Based on evaluation findings of our project, we are proposing a refined and enhanced SPNS model: 1) focused and targeted outreach to youth at greatest risk for HIV infection; 2) delivery of SPNS services at a location intended to reduce/eliminate barriers which prevent HIV-positive youth in the design and delivery of SPNS services.

Evaluation Design: The enhanced model will be evaluated to determine whether peer defined and delivered services further facilitate the identification, linkage, adherence, retention of HIV-seropositive youth.

Dissemination Plan: A high priority will be on the development and distribution of technology projects, and the dissemination of project-specific findings.