Leaders in Networking & Knowledge (LINK) II Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) Kathleen D. Gallagher, MPH Kalyani Sanchez

Objectives Identify characteristics of effective recruiters for the PR MSM population Identify hard to reach PR MSM and promote HIV testing Increase the number of high risk PR MSM who are aware of their status Promote HIV prevention services among high risk HIV- Engage newly diagnosed HIV+ in medical and support services Identify and address structural, financial, personal and cultural barriers to improve retention in care Monitor HIV health care outcomes among HIV+ retained in care

Intervention Description Priority population: Puerto Rican MSM at high risk of HIV or HIV+ and unaware of status, HIV+ and aware of status but not engaged in care or dropped out of care Service delivery settings: The David Geffen Center for HIV Testing and Prevention, GMHC Mobile Testing Unit & Mount Sinai Medical center

Hypotheses Characteristics matching our target population will ensure effective recruiting Having a high level of perceived social support is correlated with willingness to test and frequency of testing People who have support networks that promote health behaviors will be more likely to test People whose support networks include people who are HIV+ will be more likely to test Having a high level of perceived social support is correlated with retention in care People who have support networks that promote health behaviors will be more likely to stay in care People whose support networks include people who are HIV+ will be more likely to stay in care

Intervention Strategies Recruiter Enlistment: We will identify HIV-positive or HIV-negative high- risk Puerto Rican MSM from the community who are able and willing to recruit individuals at-risk for HIV infection through their social, sexual, or drug-using networks. Recruiter Coaching: Coaching will be available on an ongoing basis throughout the period of the recruiter’s participation. Recruitment of Network Associates: Recruiters will refer individuals for testing who they have identified as being at risk for HIV infection, MSM and self-identified as Puerto Rican Network Associates: Network Associates who are identified by a LINK II recruiter will be referred to the David Geffen Center for HIV counseling and testing.

HIV Care Continuum Targets of Intervention Activities Stigma reductionIdentificationLinkageRetention Intervention Activities: 1. Recruiter Enlistment X 2. Recruiter Coaching X 3. Recruitment of Network Associates X 4. Testing Network Associates X 5. Linking Network associates to Care X 6. Retaining Network Associates in Care X

Incentives Recruiters will be compensated $10 for each network associate who seeks HIV testing at the David Geffen Testing Center. Network associates will receive $25 for completing the local and multi- site evaluation. Local & Multi-site Evaluation Questionnaire: All newly diagnosed HIV+ NAs and a subset of high risk HIV- NAs will be invited to participate in the LINK II survey. Individuals will be asked to return to the testing center to take the approximately 1 hour-long ACASI administered survey within 30 days of diagnosis.

Intervention Update Intervention protocols were developed and piloted in House and Ball community in the LINK I project We have adapted the social networking strategy (SNS) for the PR MSM community for the LINK II project Documentation will take place with our EHR system, external recruiter database and our ACASI based survey Original strategy focuses on HIV+ Recruiters, we will start with mix of HIV+ and high risk HIV- recruiters Timeline The recruitment coordinator has identified a pool of eligible recruiter candidates, and once the IRB has reviewed and signed off on the local and multi-site evaluation we are ready to begin.

Partners and collaborators Partner: Mount Sinai Medical Center – Linkage of newly diagnosed HIV+ PR MSM to primary care Collaborator: GMHC - Services for HIV+ and high risk HIV- participants

Project Staff Nina Anderson, CASAC; Client Navigation Specialist David Geffen Center for HIV Testing Brandon Ford; Data Entry Specialist David Geffen Center for HIV Testing Lynnette Ford, MSW, MA; Project Director Managing Director, Program Services & Evaluation Kathleen Gallagher, MPH; Principal Investigator* Director, Health Informatics Hannah Hirschland, LMSW; Evaluator* Assistant Director, Health Informatics Jasmine Major, MPH; Research Assistant Coordinator, Evaluation and Review Pedro Rodriguez; Recruitment Coordinator* David Geffen Center for HIV Testing Kalyani Sanchez; Project Manager* Assistant Director, David Geffen Center for HIV Testing *In attendance at HRSA Grantee Meeting