NCJ Number
120098
Journal
AIDS Education and Prevention Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1989) Pages: 105-118
Date Published
1989
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A health outreach team has been providing AIDS education and health care management for indigent people in the streets of San Francisco since the fall of 1987.
Abstract
The team consists of an AIDS/health educator and a public health nurse. Their goals are to produce behavioral change related to needle disinfection and safer sex practices, to simplify access to medical care, and to educate health and social service providers about the needs of indigents. The team makes about 120 contacts each month, including 30 new contacts and 90 repeat encounters ranging from brief encounters to occasional interventions and case management. It makes contact on street corners and other locations and also receives referrals from individuals, hotel managers, and agencies. It provides education, counseling, health assessment, and case management. The main obstacles it has faced are limited resources and patient noncompliance. The team's experience during its first year suggests the desirability of using two-person teams and the importance of communication skills and knowledge about drug use, AIDS, and health. Team members should also have experience in substance abuse counseling, crisis intervention, HIV antibody counseling, and dealing with issues related to sexuality and sexual minorities. Case histories of two clients and 15 references.