http://www.workingfortogetherness.com The Chicago Area Priority Access (CAPA) Project aims to decrease barriers within the HIV/AIDS healthcare delivery system for YAAMSM and increase integration of services for these young men. The three major goals of the CAPA Project are to: 1) conduct outreach and in reach strategies to deliver HIV prevention messages and increase early detection of seropositive YAAMSM; 2) develop an integrated, adolescent-specific continuum of care network for seropositive YAAMSM; and 3) create and operate a Youth Empowerment Center to increase youth self-efficacy to enter and remain in culturally- and developmentally-appropriate HIV primary care.

[click here to see Site Presentation given at January 2005 Grantee Meeting]

Intervention

• Innovative mobile vans, bar outreach, peer-led discussions, social events, social marketing, condom dissemination 
• Mpowerment strategies, as well as case finding of HIV+ YMSM will be conducted using a van, multimedia street, and indigenous leader community outreach; condom use and safer sex education will be emphasized 
• Traditional and rapid non-clinical CTR 
• Immediate enrollment into care at local clinics and physicians 
• Linking to the local health department for partner CTR 
• Individualized and group prevention and risk reduction activities at a community center 
• Outreach upon referral from RWCA providers to locate HIV+ lost to care 
• Community outreach and performance groups for HIV+  

Outputs 

• 200 HIV+ will receive messages via outreach 
• Ten to fifteen YMSM recruited as indigenous leaders 
• All newly-identified HIV+ given immediate access to care  

Short Term Outcomes

• Increase YMSM who receive HIV information, use CTR, and are knowledgeable about personal serostatus
• Increase the number of HIV+ who receive medical treatment and stay in care -Improve ability to plan for prolonged life

Long Term Outcomes 

• Reduction in HIV infection 
• Improvement in physical and mental health of HIV+ 
• Improvement in quality of life for HIV+ 
• Reduction in stigma associated with HIV 
• Enhanced support for HIV+ individuals  

Proposed Local Evaluation Strategy 

• Street outreach to recruit two groups: YCMSM between 13 to 18 and 19 to 24 years of age; n=200 
• Intervention group: individuals recruited and consenting to participate in targeted outreach and additional programs 
• Control group: those individuals not accepting services, but who agree to have follow-up 
• Baseline, six, and twelve-month follow-up 
• Client’s files to be used and street outreach encounters tracked as process data