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Moses B. Pounds, PhD, Health Resources & Services Administration, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Department of Health & Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm 7C07, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-443-2894, mpounds@hrsa.gov, Richard Conviser, PhD, Chief, Service Evaluation and Research Branch - HRSA, Office of Science and Epidemiology, HIV/AIDS Bureau, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm 7C-07, Rockville, MD 20857, Christopher H. Bates, BS, Office of Public Health Sciences/Office of HIV/AIDS Policy, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave, SW, Room 736E, Washington, DC 20201, and Leah Kedar, Kedar Group, 7014 Woodland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
Issues. Many people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., especially from racial/ethnic minority communities, are not receiving care, despite the availability of services for people with limited or no health insurance under the CARE Act. Characteristics of systems of care may be contributing to barriers for these populations. Hence, to remedy this problem, it is necessary to understand both the barriers faced by underserved populations and the care system characteristics that are complicit in creating some of the barriers. Description. A new care system assessment model has been developed that examines selected structural and cultural/behavioral aspects of care systems. The model is being piloted in three communities (Minneapolis-St. Paul, West Palm Beach, and Orange County (CA)), focusing on different target populations in each (African refugees, black women, and Hispanics and African-Americans, respectively). Its findings are being combined with those from Rapid Assessment, Response and Evaluation techniques to discover care barriers experienced by target population members. Lessons Learned. Past RARE projects have shown that the implementation of recommended changes depends on process transparency and true community involvement. The system assessment and RARE processes have generated recommendations for both services planning bodies and health departments charged with enacting planning decisions, and the project is tracking their implementation. Recommendations. Eliminating barriers to care for minority populations requires focused technical assistance to (1) allow those not being served to identify the barriers they face and (2) facilitate policy makers and providers to make necessary care system changes to eliminate these barriers.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
Keywords: Access to Care, Ryan White
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.