Instituto Familiar de la Raza Latino AIDS Services TranSalud An innovative intervention for Transgender Latinas MTF in San Francisco, CA

WHAT IS TRANSALUD TransSalud will be an Internet and street- outreach based prevention and education program designed for the transgender (male to female) Latina community to promote healthy sexual behaviors and safe sex practices

Background of TranSalud The overall mission of IFR is to maintain and enhance the physical, spiritual, cultural, psycologhycal and social well being of the Chicano /Latino population of san Francisco by providing an array of mental health and AIDS related services. Our approach is bilingual/bicultural, and multicultural when appropriate. It is base upon respect for the traditional health/healing practices of the community and the ability of all people to empower and advocate for themselves

IFR has been providing HIV services for more than 20 years. This agency has constantly received acceptable to commendable ratings in its program monitoring reports over the years. IFR as demonstrated cultural competency in the delivery and creation of their services and interventions.

Latino AIDS program will utilize the empowerment approach of La Cultura Cura as a basis for its services philosophy, which gives ifr the tools to work with issues of behavioral change and to help clients develop realistic perceptions of their own HIV risk.IFR believes that there are not better educators than those who are active members of the community themselves. It also believes that HIV prevention is only possible when individuals are able to gather support from their peers, partners, family and community

IFR also believes in the promotion of the Harm Reduction Model, in which people are encourage engaging in safer practices to prevent the spread of HIV from their own perspective and circumstances

IFR has providing multiples interventions and services for the members of the underserved communities LGBTQ latinas/Chicanas. IFR has provided and continues providing HIV prevention services for Latinos gay youth, MSM, MSM/F, from years old. The interventions of recruitment and linkages, Multiple Session Groups workshops and Individual Counseling have been showing excellent results.

The other program that provides HIV/AIDS’ services to the community is La Clinica Mano A Mano. In 1987 Mano a Mano was created to provide emotional support and case management to Latinos with HIV. This program provides comprehensive services including psychiatric, psychological, harm reduction counseling, case management, treatment advocacy, and peer advocacy. La Clinica Mano a Mano program design and staffing pattern responds to the needs of multiple community needs, with a long history of serving the needs of Latinos living with HIV.

Services provided under this program include: Screening, assessment, evaluation, and triage for children/youth/adults/ and families; Individual, couple, family and group psychotherapy; Crisis intervention; Harm reduction counseling; Comprehensive case management and advocacy services; Psychiatric assessment and medication monitoring; Treatment education and advocacy; Peer support including practical, emotional and social support for HIV positive individuals;

Support groups for family members of Latinos living with HIV; Mental Health consultation to community agencies to increase cultural competence in serving Latinos, and Psycho-educational services. Mano A Mano also developed the Center for Excellence, a model program that provides wrap-around services to HIV/AIDS positive clients. Last year Mano A Mano provided treatment & advocacy multiple sessions for thirty clients. Eighty-five women participated in a collaborative HIV/AIDS Treatment Forum. For the last five years, IFR has collaborated with a Mexican & American Immigration-HIV-AIDS clinic. In the clinic, staffed by lawyers offered counseling on immigration and HIV/AIDS issues to over 100 people

GOAL 1: To promote HIV/AIDS prevention and education using Internet & Chat Room outreach activities specifically directed to transgender male-to female (mtf) Latinas

Activities & Timelines January-April 2008: 1-Develop live, Internet based chat room for safe- sex practices’ discussion with field experts May-October Perform participants’ outreach & recruitment Nov.-Dec, Deliver one, monthly live chat room safe-sex forum/discussion 4-EvaluateResults

Expected Outcome's) 1-At least 20 Latinas will self-report reduced risky sexual behavior and increased use of safe sex practices. 2.-Final Report to Kaiser

How will you evaluate this objective and whether or not the expected outcomes were achieved? 1- Analysis of pre-participation and post- participation survey’ results.

Objective 2 TranSalud To increase transgender’ awareness of local HIV/AIDS and General Health Services and Resources via Internet

Activities & Timelines Jan.-Dec Provide on-going HIV/AIDS’ and general transgender-health related information and service’ referrals to participants

Objective 1 To increase the Latina transgender community awareness of local HIV/AIDS health information and other transgender specific general health services and resources

Activities & Timelines May - October 2008 The Health Educator will perform weekly community outreach at locations where transgender Latina congregate (i.e. under bridges, Tenderloin, clubs, etc.) to distribute TransSalud’ website publicity material.

Expected Outcome's) 1-Transit to the TransSalud website will increase by 10% on a weekly basis.

TnanSalud on line Transalud is a web-base intervention that provides online health education and resources information about healthy sexual behavior and safe sex practices to transgender Latinas in San Francisco. The information is delivered through a website set by Instituto at

Those who whish to participate need access the web site and create an individual profile. Once they have created their profile, they will be assigned an individual username and password to access the site, which protects participant’s personal information and allows for anonymity. Although the website is still in an ongoing process of improvement, it has been launched as of April of this year

What services are being delivered? The services delivered so far include outreach and promotion. Latino AIDS outreach workers actively promote the web site during their events, health fairs and other outreach events. Names and contact information of individuals interested in participating in this program are collected to later send them reminders about the website.

What is the population being served? The population receiving services are transgender Latinas male to female who have sex with men. Since the intervention is web- based, the information posted in this page can be accessed from everywhere by anyone and at anytime. Our focus however is on individuals living in San Francisco and all the information provided in terms of resources and services are agencies located in the Bay Area.

Where are the services being provided? Services include outreach and education about different aspects of transgender health including substance abuse, hormone therapy, community resources, and HIV prevention. This information will be delivered through the webpage. We will also set up a web forum for participants to enter their comments and ask questions that we will try to answer with the assistance of experts in the field of transgender health or HIV prevention.

Evaluation A) Analysis of Pre and Post test B) Analysis of responses to BRA(Behavioral Risk Assessment) C) Reports analysis from Core Variable System

STAFF Program Coordinator Transgender Health Educator Cyber Outreach worker Other resources dedicated to this objective