Prevention Education and Community Health Initiatives
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These programs each offer a wide range of prevention, education, and outreach services to both HIV- and HIV+ individuals: free and confidential testing for HIV, sexuality transmitted infections (STI) and hepatitis C (HCV) HCV, referrals to PrEP/PEP and medical treatment, substance use and behavioral health support, and supportive group services. We deliver educational workshops on a variety of topics, including sexual heath, safer sex, HIV, behavioral health, STIs, hepatitis C, etc. HIV/STI testing is offered in-house from 9am- 5pm, via our mobile testing unit, and off-site at many locations in New York City and Essex and Union counties in New Jersey.
Adolescent and Youth Programs YOU! Young, Outstanding and Unique is a program for youth ages 13-24, African American, Latino youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and sexually active heterosexual youth in Harlem and the South Bronx. We offer Seeking Safety intervention, HIV and HCV testing, referrals to substance use treatment, and support. Project 1329 program- Youth ages 13-29, African American, Latinos heterosexual men/women and YMSMs of color. Offers CLEAR intervention, HIV, HCV and STI testing, referrals to substance use treatment and support. CLEAR- Choosing Life: Empowerment! Action! Results! is an evidence-based, health promotion intervention for males and females ages 16 and older living with HIV. CLEAR is a client-centered program delivered one-on-one using cognitive behavioral techniques to change behavior. CLEAR enables prevention counselors to individually tailor the intervention to address the unique needs of each client and provides clients with the skills necessary to be able to make healthy choices for their lives. The overall goal of CLEAR is to help clients maintain health, reduce transmission of HIV and other STDs and improve their quality of life. Seeking Safety is an evidence-based, present-focused counseling model to help people attain safety from trauma and/or substance abuse. It can be conducted in group (any size) and/or individual modality. It is an extremely safe model as it directly addresses both trauma and addiction, but without requiring clients to delve into the trauma narrative (the detailed account of disturbing trauma memories), thus making it relevant to a very broad range of clients and easy to implement from the very start of treatment (no prior treatment is needed). Women's Programs Just for Us is a program for African American and Latina Lesbian/Bi-Sexual women and girls ages 13 and older. Outreach, educational workshops, support groups and referrals to substance use and mental health services are offered by this program. Love Your Life , a virtual group for women living with HIV across the United States. Women can access this group either through the phone (cell phone or land line) or through Zoom. Topics include HIV treatment, disclosure, relationships, sex, stigma, family, empowerment, mental health, and more. This support group takes place on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 7:00pm – 8:00pm Eastern Time. Successful Healthy Empowered (SHE) Program- provides HIV/STD/HCV prevention strategies for Black/African-American or Latino/a women, who are at high risk for HIV/STD/HCV infection and women who are infected. Services offered include, targeted client recruitment and engagement; HIV testing with linkage to prevention and HIV care services; STD/HCV Screening; Healthy Relationship evidence-based intervention for HIV+ women; PROMISE for High Impact Prevention (HIP) intervention for high-risk negatives; PrEP and PEP education and referrals; and Linkage, Navigation and Retention in services for HIV positive and high risk negative women. Men's Programs Social Network Strategy is a program for Black and Latino gay or bi-sexual youth and men who do not know if they are infected with HIV. The program works with young and adult men who are interested in getting tested and who talk with their friends or partners to do the same. Those that get involved in the program and bring their friends for testing are given gifts cards for each person referred to testing. iZone. This program, which is centered around a drop-in center and informal programs on alternating Thursdays, provides a safe space for young and adolescent gay or bisexual men to have a safe, non-sexualized space to discuss issues of concern to them, connect them to care and provide access to services such as housing, mental health, job assistance and education programs. We Care program-for young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and LGBT youth of color (18 years and older) who are substance users, formerly incarcerated, and/or immigrants, along with participants’ sexual and/or drug using partners. Services are offered in Queens, Harlem, and the South Bronx. We offer Choose Life: Empowerment, Actions, Results (CLEAR) and Sin Buscar Excusas intervention, HIV and HCV testing, and referrals to substance use treatment and support. Other Programs Ending the Epidemic program is for Communities of color, specifically women and men of color who have sex with men (MSM) as well as Mexican immigrants who are at high risk for contracting HIV in Harlem and the Bronx. We offer HIV testing and educational information. Faith Based program works with faith based organizations in East and Central Harlem and the South Bronx, specifically women and MSM of color and Mexican immigrants who are at high risk for HIV in Harlem and the Bronx. Offers educational workshops to faith-based intuitions and HIV, SCV and STI testing. PrEP Aware Week promotes PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) education, information, and referrals. Advocacy Leadership program provides training to community advocates/leaders on public policy, the electoral process, and messaging about people living with HIV, affected by co-morbidities, and/or social/structural social determinants of health/disparities. For further information on any of the programs above, please contact Ofelia Barrios, Senior Director of Community Health Initiatives at 646-548-0100 Ext. 306; obarrios@irishouse.org |
