PENNSYLVANIA PREVENTION PROJECT
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
The Bureau of HIV/AIDS in the Pennsylvania Department of Health has undertaken an annual statewide (except for Philadelphia) HIV prevention planning process since 1993 using faculty and staff from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh for technical assistance. Faculty and staff facilitate the planning process, develop funding applications, and coordinate community involvement.
Facilitation: The Project continues to facilitate the state Health Department’s HIV prevention planning process and to assist the Community Planning Committee’s state-wide membership in writing the plan for the CDC.
Needs Assessment: In 2006, at the direction of the CPG, Pennsylvania Prevention Project staff conducted needs assessements for the Planning Committee in the following populations:
- Incarcerated youth and adults
- Undocumented individuals
- Transgender women
- HIV positive individuals in care
- Perinatal transmission
Demonstration Projects: Project staff supervise two programs in HIV primary care clinics which are designed to develop and deliver HIV prevntion interventions to patients in clinics. Findings from their experiences will be disseminated to other clinics in Pennsylvania.
Young Adult Roundtables: Six groups are comprised of up to 20 “high-risk” young adults from diverse communities across the state and organized to gather data for HIV planning. During the past year, this program has supplied the state with valuable information needed to better target at-risk youth. The program has been highlighted by the CDC and the National Alliance of State and Territorial HIV/AIDS Directors as a national model and has provided technical assistance to numerous jurisdictions regarding the replication of the project.
Internet Project [stophiv.com]: In 2006, the web site has added an HIV/AIDS education page to assist teachers and parents to promote effective school education. The site was completely redesigned to include additional interactive components, as well as, a Spanish translated section. Stophiv.com launched a targeted community marketing campaign to include transit bus advertisements and a Google sponsored link campaign.
Decisions For Life: DFL is a peer-based, group-level intervention, designed by and for sexually-active young people (ages 13-24). The DFL curriculum is being piloted throughout Pennsylvania in targeted locations in order to obtain feedback about the curriculum. The targeted groups include: young MSM, young African American and Latina females, young African American and Latino males and young people who live in rural communities.
Capacity Building: PPP is an integral part of the State Health Department's capacity building efforts by providing training and technical assistance on the CDC sponsored Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Intervention Project to community groups throughout the state.
