COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWS APRIL/MAY 2020
Required for These Times: DAP Fights COVID-19
Desert AIDS Project opened a COVID-19 Triage Clinic on March 16 on its campus, created to alleviate anticipated pressure on local emergency rooms and hospitals, and to mitigate calamity in our valley. We decided to act immediately to test, treat and monitor those who are suffering. We are also offering treatment for other respiratory illness that can present in a similar manner. The uninsured are never turned away. By linking those who need it to care immediately, we can help stop the needless spread of respiratory illness like COVID-19 and save lives in the Coachella Valley. We quickly followed up with Drive-Up Services outside our COVID-19 Triage Clinic. With this expansion, we can see up to 50 people a day and conserve space inside our COVID-19 Triage Clinic for people whose symptoms are more severe. Preventing Gaps in Primary Care and Treatment
The team at Desert AIDS Project has been adaptive in their approach and quick in their response to ensure continuous care for our patients and clients during the COVID-19 health crisis. We proudly launched MyChart Virtual Visit, a digital solution that ensures our patient’s continuum of care from the comfort of their home. MyChart Virtual Visit is an easy and reliable way for them to meet with their clinicians. Our patients still have the option for an in-person meeting with their clinician in our Blue Clinic or Green Clinic on the DAP campus. Our medical teams continue outreaching to DAP patients to ensure this health crisis is not getting in the way of them accessing care. Issues accessing food, transportation or prescription refills are addressed through coordination with DAP Social Services and Community Health. Our Behavioral Health team has used Virtual Visits to respond to patients’ stress and anxiety during this health crisis. The tech-tool has also enabled DAP to increase access to psychotherapy for more clients.
HIV and STI Testing and Treatment Our work to end HIV and STIs continues, and our sexual health clinic The DOCK is still open the public on the DAP campus. Our Community Health team developed a strategy to make sure no one experiences interrupted access to HIV and STI testing and treatment, or access to PrEP and PEP. Parked in the DAP back parking lot, we are welcoming walk-ins for these services, as well as follow-up services, utilizing our Get Tested mobile testing van. In less than two weeks, 6 new people were diagnosed with HIV at The Dock. We are thankful they chose to get tested, and we are committed to providing them continuous and holistic care going forward. Accessing Social Services Programs and Services
Our Social Services staff is making sure our clients can obtain and retain their Ryan White services by using the phone, e-mails, and fax, when shelter-in-place means they cannot come to DAP to fill out paperwork. Assistance continues, including food, transportation, and housing programs for eligible clients, regardless of HIV status. Because all Home Care staff are asked to follow the state guidelines for COVID-19 safe distancing to the letter, they can no longer provide home cleaning, cooking, or laundry assistance to our Home Care clients. Not giving up, they still provide individualized services to DAP Home Care clients in several ways: •
Talking daily with telephone check-ins
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Continuing with reassessments and updates for case management
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Running outside-the-home errands, like getting essential grocery and pharmacy items
HIV SELF-TESTING PREVENTS LAPSES DURING COVID-19 Without ongoing testing, we cannot end HIV in the Coachella Valley. To keep everyone aware of their status during this health crisis, DAP chose to offer free HIV selftest kits along with the support that goes with it, regardless of the result. For a variety of reasons, this pandemic is making it harder for people to obtain testing from DAP in the typical ways. Through a generous grant, we are providing HIV self-tests to our highest risk clients so that they can stay aware of their HIV status with a discrete and safe testing experience in a private location that works best for them.
“I wanted to continue the work I’ve been doing for more than 25 years at DAP,” Jose De La Cruz, Community Health educator said. “At least for now, videoconferencing and self-swab is the most effective way we can keep helping people in recovery during COVID-19.”
WE HAVE INCREASED OUR RANGE OF TESTING TO FIT OUR CLIENTS’ NEEDS
HIV testing at the DAP campus remains completely safe and open during this health crisis. But HIV self-testing is useful for routine testers whose circumstances warrant staying isolated in quarantine or sheltering in place at home. “We have increased our range of testing to fit our clients’ needs, specifically with this HIV self-test,” said C.J. Tobe, director of Community Health. “We will do whatever it takes to offer testing in a manner that works for them, and then link anyone to treatment immediately if they need it.” Follow up support and linkage to ongoing care with DAP is always offered to anyone testing positive for HIV. Testing for HIV at home is new for many clients, and it can be daunting for some. DAP Community Health offers support via Zoom conferencing or via telephone for anyone who needs to be talked through the process before, during, or after the self-test. For many people in residential recovery or who are incarcerated, access to HIV testing has been interrupted during this health crisis, compounding fear for many as they cannot leave their surroundings. Health protections and social distancing measures have required Community Health personnel to cease in-person group visits. Time is running out for people in these settings who might be undecided about getting health screenings.
DAP’s Community Health Department is responding by combing HIV education via Zoom and the provision of self-HIV test kits in these locations. Anyone testing positive will receive ongoing support and medical care at DAP or through referrals.
People with substance abuse disorders or who misuse substances, people who trade sex for drugs, and people who have sex while intoxicated, are at high risk for becoming infected with HIV. (CDC) According to De La Cruz, many entering these settings have never been tested for HIV. More than half of Americans aged 18–64 have never been tested for HIV, which makes it more likely they will spread it to unsuspecting partners. Not knowing has other another pitfall; one in three Americans who test positive for HIV is tested too late to get the full advantage of treatment. (CDC)