The Communicable Disease Prevention Program (CDPP) was among the first clinical initiatives to be linked between the health centers through Dotwell. Beginning in 2000, the centers began integrating their HIV departments.
Initially, the HIV Department was overseen by one counselor. Soon after the collaboration of the 2 health centers was formed, the program proved to be both cost efficient and highly effective. Currently 10 staff members compose the HIV Department.
Our goal is to increase the number of people who are aware of their HIV status, reduce the number of new infections in the community and link clients who test positive into comprehensive medical and social care.
We provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS specific programs that include:
- HIV/AIDS Prevention & Education (P&E)
- Counseling & Testing Services (C&T)
- Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Social and Clinical Case Management.
In November 2003 our program received a grant from the CDC to broaden its HIV Counseling, Testing, Prevention and Education programs. The purpose of the program is to provide people with an innovative testing technique, known as HIV Rapid Testing that allows us to give results to clients in less than 25 minutes. In addition, this test is portable and can be performed by health care providers in most outreach venues. As a result, the Communicable diseases staff has greatly expanded and has been accessing the community via local organizations, schools, shelters, other health centers and through a mobile outreach van that goes around “hot spots” within the Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan communities.
We have been providing HIV Rapid Testing in clinic and non-clinical sites using Oraquick and Oraquick Advance since December 2004.
Mobile Counseling & Testing Unit: a new van equipped with a mini-lab area and 2 C&T rooms. We received the MTU in November 2004 and had been offering integrated P&E and C&T services in it since then. The hours of operation and the venues visited by the MTU are:
- Mondays: South Bay mall, South Boston.
- Tuesdays: Fields Corner, Washington Street
- Wednesday: Dudley Square, Washington street
- Thursday: Uphams Corner
- Friday: Franklin Park