AID Atlanta, the largest and most comprehensive AIDS service organization in the southeast, brings 25 years experience to a collaboration with DeKalb County Jail, STAND, Inc., Our Common Welfare (OCW), and Morehouse Medical Associates. The primary purpose of this Correctional Demonstration Project (CDP) is to improve the health and overall quality of life of jailed inmates about to be released to the community. Targeting HIV+ substance abusing men of the metro Atlanta area, starting November 2007, this program will strategically provide comprehensive healthcare, enhanced case management, substance abuse treatment and prevention education relative to HIV/AIDS and STDs. An assessment of need revealed that HIV disproportionately affects inmates; inmates are more than likely to be substance abusers, negatively impacting health outcomes; and there is not a sufficient amount of services to meet the health needs nor the substance abuse treatment needs of this population. 

AID Atlanta proposes to develop and implement a project that will (1) increase the medical treatment adherence rate of HIV+ releasees by immediately linking them to primary care while also providing coordinated services including enhanced case management, inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment, housing, and other supportive services; and (2) decrease the rate of inmate recidivism by addressing the underlying factors that cause individuals to be repeat offenders, including treatment of substance abuse, providing intensive support and guidance to assist clients in leading healthier lives and making healthier choices, and providing necessary life coaching, prevention education, self esteem building and empowerment opportunities to affect behavioral change.

 Program goals include:

• Demonstrate the significance of providing immediate access to and effective coordination of HIV primary medical services to enrolled clients once released from jail.
• Demonstrate the need, effectiveness and benefits of enhanced case management, discharge planning and medical care coordination to HIV+ inmates during the pre-release, post-release, and continued follow-up phases of the program
• Demonstrate the significance of intensive substance abuse treatment services and supportive housing, in conjunction with enhanced case management, medical care coordination and community follow-up among recently released HIV+ inmates.
• Demonstrate the significance of continued maintenance in substance abuse treatment and housing support upon completion of intensive substance abuse treatment.