263758 Trans community mobilization: Coalitions in action for transgender community health

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Danielle Castro , Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
JoAnne Keatley, MSW , Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Luis Gutierrez-Mock, MA , Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, UCSF, Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, San Francisco, CA
Jae Sevelius, PhD , Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Greg Rebchook, PhD , Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Issues

There are significant structural barriers hindering access to HIV prevention services and health care for transgender people including the lack of: skilled providers, accurate transgender data, and funding for transgender specific HIV prevention. CATCH was designed to increase access to healthcare and HIV prevention services through a community mobilization model. Description

In the CATCH model, informed local coalitions guide the community mobilization process and lead strategic planning efforts, prioritize HIV prevention and health care needs, develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen community access to and utilization of HIV prevention and health care services, and decide how to evaluate these efforts.

Lessons Learned

CATCH was introduced in New Mexico and several other states including Nevada, Florida and Maryland. The Transgender New Mexico Coalition (TGNMC) has formed. Local CBO's, the New Mexico Department of Health (NDMH), community members, and service providers have been actively participating in coalition meetings. The NMDH successfully held two trans health summits and are supporting the coalition to open a resource center.

Recommendations

CATCH is a very promising model gaining recognition throughout the country. With the addition of more coalitions, access to health care and HIV prevention services for transgender communities will increase. CATCH is designed to be a community friendly model that can be adapted and implemented locally. This model of community mobilization has great potential for additional implementation.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1) Participants will be able to describe the CATCH (Coalitions in Action for Transgender Community Health) model for community mobilization. 2) Participants will be able to discuss the effectiveness of community mobilization for increased access to HIV prevention and care services among trans communities.

Keywords: Community Collaboration, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working in the HIV/AIDS field for over twenty years, and have been coordinating the community mobilization model from its inception. I specialize in community health and mobilization.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5015.0: HIV/AIDS Risk Correlates among Vulnerable Populations