NWPC has listed 7 policy recommendations online on the site that the White House Office of National AIDS Policy has developed to solicit public input for the new National HIV/AIDS Strategy to be released this summer (2015). The public is asked to list new ideas and/or to vote for ideas that have been listed, by the deadline of this Friday, May 22nd: https://nhas.uservoice.
After you create a profile by entering your email address, you can vote for a recommendation, and/or enter your own recommendation. You get 25 votes for each of the four “feedback forums,” organized by the four goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
National Working Positive Coalition: Recommendations to Update Employment Provisions in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy
Poverty, unemployment, and underemployment are key social and economic determinants of health, and critically influence outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Achieving the goals of the landmark National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) - improving HIV health outcomes, reducing health disparities and reducing new HIV infections - requires both medical and structural interventions. The employment provisions of the NHAS need to be strengthened with measurable objectives and timelines established for Federal agency activities, to a) prevent unnecessary loss of employment, and (b) reduce poverty, unemployment and underemployment among people living with and at higher risk for HIV.
Here are the 7 recommendations across the four goals of the NHAS that have been prioritized by the NWPC for updating the employment provisions of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
To increase employment opportunities for people living with and at higher risk for HIV:
Goal 1: Reducing New HIV Infections
Address workforce participation inequities for key populations (homeless LGBT youth, trans women of color, people with criminal records).
HIV prevention and care services need to be developed with effective cross-training, linkage and coordination with workforce participation and vocational rehabilitation programs, as well as housing substance use treatment and mental health services. Key populations at disproportionate risk of new HIV infections include communities with histories of stigma and discrimination in the workplace, and inadequate access to healthy living wage employment. Existing resources designed to meet employment needs of individuals with barriers to employment (e.g., workforce development and vocational rehabilitation programs) need capacity building to effectively serve communities with disproportionate risk of new HIV infections. Targeted HIV employment initiatives for key populations need to be developed and scaled up.
Goal 2: Increasing Access to Care and Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV
Implement a multi-state HIV employment services demonstration project where HIV prevalence, infection rates and mortality are high.
Implementation of a multi-state HIV employment demonstration project in diverse high prevalence communities is needed that will integrate employment services in HIV service organizations, and coordinate with state/local vocational rehabilitation and workforce development programs. Assessment is needed of multiple forms of employment outcomes in addition to job placement rates, including engagement/retention in care, biomarkers (i.e., viral load/suppression), and self-care. Services should be designed for key populations, including young Black and Latino MSM, transgender and cisgender women of color, and individuals who are formerly incarcerated, and should be responsive to diverse community (urban, suburban, rural) and job market factors.
Access to accurate information is needed on work earnings-related policies for key health care, housing and economic stability programs.
Well-informed decision-making about working and transitions to employment depends on access to information to maintain or improve linkage to health care, housing and economic stability. Direct service providers and people with HIV need access to information and training about work earnings-related policies for key programs including SSI/SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, ADAP and other health coverage, and subsidized housing (HOPWA, Section 8). Individual benefits advisement is needed by people with HIV, as well as education about community-level resources available for vocational training, education and employment services.
Goal 3: Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities
Employment status and needs assessment, along with economic status, should be integrated into HIV data collection and evaluation.
Evaluation is needed of HIV health and prevention outcomes in relation to employment and economic status. Linkage to information and community-level services should be provided in response to identification of employment needs of people living with or at higher risk for HIV identified at all points of service provision. Diverse factors and outcomes need to be evaluated, including for those who: do or don’t use employment/vocational services; work full time or part time; and/or are engaged in self-employment and micro-enterprise development.
Increase access to employment opportunities and services by linking HIV, employment/vocational, education and housing service systems.
Federal agencies including HHS, DOL, DoEd, and HUD need instruction to work in coordination across agencies and their own programs to develop effective, targeted outreach, service needs assessment, information access, linkages and coordination between HIV services, workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, education and housing service systems at federal, state and local levels. Grantees and staff across service sectors need training and technical assistance to develop knowledge and skills to reduce HIV stigma and discrimination, and meet employment and vocational rehabilitation information and service needs of people living with or at higher risk for HIV. Education must be designed to ensure effective trauma-informed services for key populations, including young Black and Latino MSM, transgender women of color, and individuals who are formerly incarcerated.
Goal 4: Achieving a More Coordinated National Response to the HIV Epidemic
Prevent unnecessary loss of employment, & reduce poverty, unemployment & underemployment among people living with & at higher risk for HIV.
Poverty, unemployment, and underemployment are key social and economic determinants of health, and critically influence outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Achieving the goals of the landmark National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) requires both medical and structural interventions. The employment provisions of the NHAS need to be strengthened with measurable objectives and timelines established for Federal agency activities, to a) prevent unnecessary loss of employment, and (b) reduce poverty, unemployment and underemployment among people living with and at higher risk for HIV. Lead Federal agencies needed to coordinate and maximize resources to increase access to employment opportunities and vocational services for people living with or at higher risk for HIV include HHS (HRSA/HAB, CDC, SAMHSA), DoEd (RSA), DOL (ETA, ODEP), HUD (OHAH). Mechanisms need to be developed linking these initiatives and key Federal agencies including HHS, DOL, DoEd, and HUD for sharing of best practices, capacity building needs assessment and resources, training and technical assistance. Data collection support must be provided to expand knowledge of HIV health and prevention outcomes for employment/vocational program participants, and effective HIV employment service strategies.
Existing and developing employment initiatives targeted for people living with or at higher risk for HIV need capacity building assistance.
Mechanisms need to be developed linking these initiatives and key Federal agencies including HHS, DOL, DoEd, and HUD for sharing of best practices, capacity building needs assessment and resources, training and technical assistance. Data collection support must be provided to expand knowledge of HIV health and prevention outcomes for employment/vocational program participants, and effective HIV employment service strategies.
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