NCJ Number
133723
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 53 Issue: 7 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 162,164-166
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
According to legislation passed in Rhode Island in 1989, the State Department of Corrections is mandated to test all convicted inmates for the HIV virus; in the four months between the bill's passage and implementation, the DOC decided to test all detainees as well. The law also requires pre- and post-test counseling and guarantees confidentiality.
Abstract
A key component of the program is the traveling AIDS clinic, staffed by a multidisciplinary team, that visits each prison in the State about once a week. Pre-test counseling is handled by the nurse during intake, and post-test counseling for HIV-positive inmates is conducted by a health education specialist. The medical follow-up usually begins with a health assessment within 2 to 3 weeks of the initial diagnosis. The program has links with outside agencies including Brown University's Medical School and relevant community agencies. Staff education programs have been another integral component of the program since its inception. The program not only identifies many newly infected individuals, but also provides them with an opportunity to begin anti-viral therapy at an early stage of infection. Other benefits of the program are its cost savings and the significant reduction in staff anxiety over AIDS.