APNH Project/Program Evaluation & Updates

For decades, APNH: A Place to Nourish your Health has been a leader in service delivery of HIV/AIDS services. As the epidemic has changed, so has APNH – and so has the need for innovation in meeting the ever expanding needs of our community. APNH is proud to present some of our latest programs and projects with you.

A New Normal?


07.12.2021

What is the new normal for APNH and human services in general? In the last year and a half, there has been a battle against a new virus, a racial reckoning, political upheaval, and extensive exploration of how to do business efficiently without compromising the health of clients and those who deliver services to them.
Let’s break it down:
The Coronavirus/COVID-19. APNH saw the writing on the wall and had already begun reimagining our service delivery by the time Governor Lamont ordered the State to shut down. Remote connections had been made, phones redirected, clients contacted, Home HIV Test Kits were stocked, and a plan was in place to continue Nutrition Services programs. This jumpstart gave APNH a solid foundation to build upon as we navigated through the pandemic. Making adjustments as issues arose and as science made important discoveries about the virus and how it was transmitted. At no time did APNH ever close or suspend services due to COVID-19. Our commitment to service delivery has never wavered.
Racial Reckoning. APNH has not lived in a vacuum and has worked with the Community for years to not just acknowledge racial disparities in areas such as health, housing, and transportation, APNH has worked to provide solutions. We fully realized that without equity, equality is unattainable and we strive to weave that fact into everything we do. Our commitment to equity, equality and social justice strengthens with each passing day.
Political Upheaval. With changes in political strategies, funding can make large swings up or down. How you address those down swings are one true test of an agency’s strength. APNH has met the challenges of funding changes and maintained services. APNH is committed to maintaining to the best of our abilities fiscal responsibility while providing uninterrupted services.
Doing Business Differently. The Pandemic was an impetus for changes made to service delivery. We have spoken in previous newsletters about adding technology to maintain connection for case management and medical appointments with clients over 50 years of age during the period of quarantine. APNH also made enhancements to HIV prevention efforts to allow for testing and access to PrEP to continue via the telehealth and social media when face to face interactions could not be made. Behavioral Health switched to telehealth and introduced new online support groups. None of these things need to disappear as the State fully reopens. When it comes to improving service delivery, APNH uses innovation, client input, careful planning, and community partnerships. APNH is committed to adapting and improving service delivery as our environment, our community, HIV, and our clients evolve and change.
To recap, our commitments from above are:
  • Our commitment to service delivery has never wavered.
  • Our commitment to equity, equality and social justice strengthens with each passing day.
  • APNH is committed to maintaining to the best of our abilities fiscal responsibility while providing uninterrupted services.
  • APNH is committed to adapting and improving service delivery as our environment, our community, HIV, and our clients evolve and change.

As you can see, our commitments to our clients, community and supporters have not changed. How we achieve those commitments has evolved and will continue to do so as our world changes. We build mountains of change one rock at a time. Every member of the APNH community can pick up a rock and help build that mountain together. Let’s keep building those mountains!

Staying Connected is an APNH program born out of innovation. When the reality of the COVID-19 Pandemic settled in, and it was clear that quarantines would continue indefinitely, staff at APNH became concerned that many of our clients would experience increased isolation, trauam and be disconnected from their care providers. Fearing the effects this would have on health outcomes, we began our “Staying Connected” project. The program would supply those in need with tablets outfitted with internet service. We provide necessary training and support. APNH hired an individual to set up the tablets and ready them for distribution. In addition, two part time Peer Client Support staff were hired to assist clients with ongoing support.

 

To date, 50 tablets have been distributed to connect individuals to support groups, recovery groups, behavioral health appointments, medical appointments, and each other. While nothing can take the place of in-person interactions, Staying Connected has reduced isolation, maintaining a lifeline to clients and assisted them is staying home and safe.
APNH has been recognized by peer organizations for this innovative program and is currently composing a report and protocol to share with others so that similar programming can be established at other agencies. For more information regarding Staying Connected, please contact Joan Bendici.

 

 

Chat4Change is a new CDC funded PrEP Demonstration Project that APNH is working on in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS at Yale University, CHER Solutions, LLC, and other Community Partners. The purpose of the program is to increase awareness and uptake of PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) in communities where the incidence of new HIV infections are highest – in New Haven, that is young Black and Latinx men who have sex with men. As a demonstration project, the program is evolving. The program utilizes social media/dating app platforms and social networks to conduct outreach and provide resources to individuals who are interested in PrEP – a very effective HIV prevention tool.