Reaching vulnerable Bronx youth through two-pronged approach of routine HIV testing and targeted outreach strategies

In New York City (NYC), 32.5% of new infections occur in youth 13-29. In the Bronx, a borough of NYC with a prevalence of 1.3%, youth of color, especially young gay and bisexual men and young women are disproportionately affected. Males 13-24 account for 65% of new infections, 73% of which occur in young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Developing new strategies for increasing HIV testing and outreach to vulnerable youth populations is essential for diagnosing HIV positive youth and linking them to care. Based in the Bronx, the Adolescent AIDS Program (AAP) approaches this population with a dual strategy: Building on the success of The Bronx Knows, a borough-wide HIV testing campaign that worked to test more than 350,000 Bronx residents, the (AAP) convened a Bronx Youth HIV Testing Coalition to specifically target youth with the goal of making HIV testing routine at all adolescent-serving institutions and engaging youth as organizers in partnership with medical providers and institutions. For those youth who do not access routine health care, the AAP also has a comprehensive outreach strategy to offer HIV testing and provide care and linkage services that targets vulnerable populations through venue-based approaches and utilizing social networks. This session will discuss the AAP's two-pronged approach to reaching vulnerable Bronx youth through routine testing and targeted outreach. Special focus will be placed on YMSM and young women of color, and the AAP's successes in engaging youth, outreaching to adolescent-serving providers, and designing innovative methods for targeted outreach.