Causes: AIDS, Health

Mission: To foster and ensure a regional approach to prevent the spread of hiv and aids, and to meet with compassion and dignity the needs of those affected by these diseases.

Programs: The housing opportunities for persons with aids (hopwa)- the hopwa msa program served a total of 423 unduplicated clients and an additional 157 family memberswith short term emergency assistance with rent, mortgage and utility payments, support services, end of life care, in-patient substance abuse treatment, housing information services and tenant-based rental vouchers.

the itts program provides hiv, syphilis and hepatitis c prevention, education and testing at 15 sites across mecklenburg, union and cabarrus counties. The itts program has tested a total of 1,696 individuals for hiv. 37 were found to be positive and all were linked to care. 549 people were tested for syphilis and 20 were found to be positive and were linked to care. 124 people were tested for the hepatitis c virus and 8 were found to be positive and were linked to care. Artas the artas (anti-retroviral treatment access services) program is specifically funded to link newly diagnosed and previously-diagnosed but out-of-care individuals to hiv medical care. The artas program served 51 people in fy17 with assistance in locating, making appointments with, and finding payor sources for medical care. Artas is an evidence-based, individual level public health strategy designed to ensure that everyone who is hiv positive has access to medical care and treatment. Sacsac (substance abuse center) testing is specifically funded to test at-risk individuals in substance abuse treatment centers. Sac staff provide group education, followed immediately by hiv, syphilis, and hepatitis c testing in 13 treatment centers in mecklenburg, union, and cabarrus counties. In fy17, the sac program tested a total of 928 people for hiv with no new positives; 365 individuals for syphilis with 2 new positives, both of whom were linked to care; 547 individuals were tested for hepatitis c with 188 positives being referred to care. Combined state programsfor fy18 (june 1 may 31), the nc communicable disease branch combined all state programs under one contract. Itts, sac, and artas, as well as a subcontract with quality home care to conduct the healthy relationships intervention for hiv positive men and women. The goals and activities of the grants remain the same hiv, syphilis, and hepatitis c education and testing, linkage to medical care, and with healthy relationships, prevention with positives. This contract is a 3 year contract, renewable annually based on performance.

the county homeless supportive services program served 30 chronically homeless, hiv positive individuals with supportive services. Supportive services includes assistance in locating, acquiring and maintaining housing with a hopwa voucher. Clients are visited monthly and offered support in accessing medical care and other essential services to maintain housing. Goals: increase income and stability for 30 chronically homeless, hiv + individuals. Actuals: 30 clients served, measures met. Mecklenburg county homeless support services iithis program is designed to provide a housing first model of housing support services and a hopwa voucher to hiv+ individuals and families referred by coordinated assessment. All of these clients have been chronically homeless (homeless for one or more years or homeless 4 times in 3 years that adds up to a year and have a disabling condition). This program employees on housing coordinator who serves 10 clients and one part-time peer support specialist, who works with some of the hardest to reach clients in the program. The goals of this program are housing stability, increased or maintained income, decreased usage of safety net systems, and improved or maintained health outcomes.