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Intercultural Health Projects
Substance Abuse and Infectious Disease Cross-training Initiative
Conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Center for Disease Control, and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, this interagency training initiative was designed to accomplish systems change by increasing the knowledge, awareness, and skills among providers and trainers within infectious disease (HIV, STDs, TB, and hepatitis), substance abuse, criminal justice, mental health, and homeless service systems. HSR was involved in providing technical assistance (TA) and training at the State and local levels, facilitating a collaborative planning process, developing a multidisciplinary training curriculum, managing the logistics of training sessions, and conducting a thorough evaluation.
Homeless Policy Academies
HSR provides technical assistance (TA) and strategic planning support to the Homeless Policy Academies, which are collaboratively sponsored by six U.S. Departments, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Labor. These Academies serve as a forum for teams of senior State-level officials as they develop and implement State-specific Action Plans to increase the availability of needed mainstream services to individuals and families who are homeless. Participants represent diverse interests, including homeless services, substance abuse, mental health, corrections, education, and the private sector. All 56 States and Territories have participated in Policy Academy meetings and subsequent capacity-building TA activities designed and facilitated by HSR.
Evaluation of the Impact of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act Minority AIDS Initiative on Recruiting and Retaining HIV-infected Persons of Color into Care
In a study conducted for Health Resources and Services Administration's HIV/AIDS Bureau, HSR will evaluate the efforts and successes of the CARE Act grantees as they modify services to recruit and retain HIV-infected people of color. HSR will design a sample methodology to include diverse grantees and gather comparison data on the racial and ethnic makeup of HIV/AIDS in service areas, in part through interviews with 250 grantees. HSR will compile their findings in a final report, identifying effective models and promising practices for the treatment of this underserved population.
Homelessness
Representatives from 47 States and 5 Territories have participated in homeless policy academies jointly sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The academies provide a forum in which senior officials come together to develop State-specific action plans designed to increase homeless persons' access to services. In facilitating the planning activities of the Federal Interagency Advisory Committee, our staff has designed and carried out site visits to the States, provided technical assistance to participating States, supported meeting logistics, and conducted process and outcomes evaluations.
Co-occurring Conditions
HSR recently completed work on a collaborative project funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Using training and technical assistance (TA), HSR helped promote cross-system collaboration among substance abuse, infectious disease, mental health, criminal justice, and homeless services professionals in order to increase service availability, quality, and capacity to help clients address multiple concerns. The work entailed developing curricula, organizing and implementing training events, contracting with and preparing local specialists and trainers, providing TA, and evaluating this project.
Family Planning
Under a recently completed contract with the Office of Population Affairs, Office of Family Planning, HSR worked with Title X Family Planning Program advisors, staff, and clients to examine the incorporation of HIV-prevention programming in family planning settings that serve women from medically underserved populations. Our staff designed interview guides and conducted key-informant interviews, conducted site visits, and prepared and disseminated a report identifying promising practices, training implications, and recommendations.
Incarceration
HSR is assisting the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the Department of Health and Human Services in developing a multidisciplinary research agenda to examine the effects of incarceration on children, families, and communities. The purpose of this project is to identify promising practices at the State and community levels and to define short- and long-term research needs. HSR is responsible for project planning, information gathering, meeting preparation and facilitation, and report writing.
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