To ensure that HIV/AIDS services are enhanced while in jail and continued upon release to the community, the Los Angeles County (LAC) Sheriff’s Department, and the Department of Health Services (DHS), Office of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP) agreed to meet regularly to develop an action plan. Through the development phase of a formative evaluation, OAPP and the Sheriff’s Department identified effective and promising public health and corrections collaborations to address gaps and duplication of HIV/AIDS, STDs, services and linkages in correctional facilities.
The development phase of this correctional initiative resulted in a true collaboration between the correctional agencies and public health, which will eventually establish a commitment to avoid duplication of services and enhance access and utilization of existing and future services by inmates.
In general, our data collection efforts during the start-up phase of the corrections initiative found that inmate HIV prevention and linkages to treatment services could benefit from the expansion and enhancement of: 1) HIV/STD Counseling & Testing; 2) peer-based programs; 3) transitional case management and 4) training for jail staff that includes discharge planning and transitional services to ease the adjustment of inmates upon release into the community. Other important aspects of collaboration requires access to correctional facilities to collect data to expand collaborations and assess need and increase of funding for correctional facilities and current/future service providers.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: Correctional Institutions, HIV/AIDS
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.