Highway to Health InitiativeThrough AIDS Partnership Michigan

The Problem

Michigan Prisons43,000 Prisoners MDOC.8% are HIV Positive

Those still living in the community:60% not regularly compliant High CD4 levels

Michigan HIV

20,000 HIV Positive 809 new cases per year

Over 1.1 million in the U.S.15% unaware they areinfected

Barriers to ComplianceEmployment/Housing/Income

Access to Health Care (phys/mental)

Disclosure-31% have not told their primary care physicians

14% have not told their spouses 71% sexually active/ half partners unaware

Goal: Low Viral Load / High CD4Viral Load: Amount of HIV in blood (# of copies of HIV RNA)Ex. 10,000 = low viral load; 100,000 = high

Below 50 = undetectableless likely to transmit,

less likely to get sick, Less resistant to anti-HIV drugs

CD4: Glycoprotien on immune cellsHigh viral load = low CD4

Mission, Goals, ObjectivesAIDS Partnership Michigan Mission1) Prevention of HIV and AIDS

2) Providing the best services possible for those who are infected.

Our organization wants everyone to be safe; and if they cannot be safe we want them to be well-informed.

Highway to Health Initiative MissionTo create a community of educated and aware HIV-positive persons where they become in charge of reducing their viral loads through medication adherence and decreasing their likelihood of transmitting the HIV virus to others in the community. Additionally, the program participants will be empowered to positively impact stigma and knowledge about HIV and AIDS in their communities.

Goals & Objectives of HHIGoal 1: Increase participants knowledge of HIV, AIDS and the benefits of medication compliance.

Objective 1.1: Provide 6 two-hour training classes to be completed by July 2015.

Objective 1.2: Assess learning of 100% of attending participants after each training session.

Objective 1.3: Provide feedback and additional training if needed to 100% of attending participants after each training session.

Goals & Objectives of HHIGoal 2: Reduce viral load and HIV transmission for HHI participants.

Objective 2.1: Provide education on medication compliance and its effect on viral load and HIV transmission to 90% of participants by the end of the second training session and throughout program.

Objective 2.2: Monitor 100% of participants for medication compliance bi-weekly, and six and twelve months after the program.

Objective 2.3: Assess viral loads of 100% of participants through medical testing at the end of the program, and six and twelve months post-HHI.

Goals & Objectives of HHIGoal 3: Decrease stigma related to HIV and AIDS in the community*.

Objective 3.1: Hold 3 community speaking events by July 2015.

Objective 3.2: Have 20% of community members attending the community speaking events by the last event.

Objective 3.3: Decrease reported feelings, thoughts and actions of stigma by 75% in 75% of community members by 6 most after the final speaking event.

*the community is defined as the area within a 1 miles radius of the AIDS Partnership Michigan building

Logic Model

Project DescriptionThe Highway to Health Initiative is a pilot program aimed at empowering HIV-positive ex-prisoners in the Detroit, MI area to become advocates for and in charge of their health. Through efforts to educate a pilot group on HIV transmission and treatment, the hope is that viral loads will be reduced to undetectable status among program participants. The initial program size is 5-7 individuals, however the effect is grown through the use of an “each one, teach one”model where each participant is asked to share their knowledge with someone in their personal and sexual network(s).

Evaluation Plan

Budget