The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health, through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is launching the HIV and HCV Prevention and Care for Justice-Involved Persons program to improve the health and well-being of persons at-risk for HIV and/or hepatitis or are currently living with HIV and/or hepatitis. The program will focus on individuals who are currently incarcerated, have had corrections involvement within the past 30 days, or are currently involved in community supervision such as probation or home confinement. Once individuals are referred to the program by a corrections nurse or enrolled through peer services, program partners at the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network and the Potomac Highlands Guild will link the participants to care, especially HIV and HCV services. Peer navigators will also ensure a warm transfer using a transition plan developed with the participant’s goals and needs.
West Virginia has experienced multiple HIV and HCV outbreaks.. Many individuals who are at risk for HIV or HCV, or have already tested positive, also have a history of incarceration or involvement with carceral systems. Experiencing incarceration adds many barriers to accessing healthcare, mental health care, social services, and necessities such as housing, employment, and more. By providing individuals with peer navigation services and a warm transfer back into the community, the program aims to close some of the healthcare gaps in West Virginia.
Persons who use drugs and persons who are at risk for HIV and HCV will be the most impacted by this program, followed by their friends, family, and the public. There will also be financial and system use benefits through a reduction in emergency medical care because of the consequences of untreated HIV and/or HCV.
Ideally, the HIV and HCV Prevention and Care for Justice-Involved Persons program will also impact the rate of HIV and HCV infections in the state among the PWUD population. This program will also provide more support and resources for incarcerated persons in West Virginia. In collaboration with peer navigation and reentry services, this program will become a valuable resource for one of West Virginia’s most vulnerable populations.
The Prevention Corrections Coordinator and the rest of the project team look forward to implementing this program.With comprehensive program evaluation, needed changes will be made to adjust the HIV and HCV Prevention and Care for Justice-Involved Persons program and meet the unique needs of persons at risk for infectious diseases in West Virginia.