Support
Services
Case
Management is a range of client/family-centered services
that provide linkages to health care, psychosocial, and other
services. Case managers meet with clients to gain an understanding
of their needs and provide referrals to both Ryan White-funded
and community-based services to help address those needs.
In particular, case managers determine eligibility for uninsured
clients in need of Ryan White-funded services such as HIV
primary care and medications, dental care, mental health,
and transportation. Referrals to food banks, housing and utility
assistance, legal services, and treatment education are also
available.
Case management is a voluntary program and is available to
any HIV-positive individual, however many services case managers
link clients to have income eligibility criteria based on
federal poverty level.
Case managers also provide a great deal of support and education
to their clients, many of whom have not disclosed their HIV
status to friends and family members for fear of rejection.
All Project ARK case managers are co-located with HIV primary
care clinics to reduce barriers and improve adherence to care.
Project ARK designates some of its caseloads to provide specialized,
more intensive case management services to certain populations:
children, youth and young adults (13-29 years old), women
with children, pregnant/postpartum women, and medically-advanced
clients who need in-home care.
Retention
services
are provided to help clients maintain involvement in HIV primary
care. Our Retention/Prevention Specialist (R/PS) works with
case managers and medical staff to identify clients who may
be in danger of falling out of medical care. The R/PS makes
phone calls, sends letters, and conducts home visits to re-engage
these clients and determine if any assistance our program
can provide will help them keep their physician appointments.
Childcare
is provided on-site at the Washington University Adult Infectious
Diseases Clinic, where the majority of HIV-positive women
in the St. Louis region receive their HIV primary care. For
two clinic sessions each week, childcare is available so that
women who might otherwise miss their clinic appointments may
bring their children with them. On-site childcare is also
available for the support groups facilitated by Project ARK
staff.
Transportation
Assistance is
provided on an urgent need basis to clients to improve their
access to medical care. Bus tickets or cab vouchers may be
provided to clients when requested through their case managers.
The Retention/Prevention Specialist may also transport clients
to/from their appointments.
All
support services are provided at no cost to clients.
