Outreach Services
Service Standard
Outreach Services Service Standard print version
| Subcategories | Service Units |
|---|---|
| Outreach Services (Outreach for linkage to services) | Per encounter with client previously unlinked to care |
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Description:
The Outreach Services category has as its principal purpose identifying people living with HIV who either do not know their HIV status, or who know their status but are not currently in care. As such, Outreach Services provide the following activities:
- Identification of people who do not know their HIV status and/or
- Linkage or re-engagement of people living with HIV who know their status into HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) services, including provision of information about health care coverage options.
Outreach Services are often provided to people who do not know their HIV status therefore activities within this service category will likely reach people who are HIV negative. When these activities identify someone living with HIV, eligible clients should be linked to HRSA RWHAP services. HIV-negative people may receive Outreach Services and should be referred for healthy behavior promotion.
Outreach Services must:
- Use data to focus on reaching people living with HIV who
- have never been tested and are undiagnosed;
- have been tested, diagnosed as HIV positive, but have not received their test results, or
- have been tested, know their HIV positive status, but are not in medical care;
- Be conducted at times and in places where there is a high probability that people living with HIV will be identified; and
- Be delivered in coordination with local and state HIV prevention outreach programs to avoid duplication of effort.
Outreach Services may be provided through community and public awareness activities (e.g., posters, flyers, billboards, social media, TV or radio announcements) that meet the requirements above and include explicit and clear links to and information about available HRSA RWHAP services. Outreach Services may include both case findings and client recruitment through street outreach.
Program Guidance:
Outreach Services provided to an individual or in small group settings cannot be delivered anonymously, as some information is needed to facilitate any necessary follow-up and care. Outreach Services must not include outreach activities that exclusively promote HIV prevention education. Outreach services data are reported in the RSR in aggregate. Outreach models may vary by provider, but outreach services should increase available access points by linking people to care.
Language assistance must be provided to individuals who have limited English proficiency and/or other communication needs at no cost to them in order to facilitate timely access to all health care and services.
Subrecipients must provide easy-to-understand print and multimedia materials and signage in the languages commonly used by the populations in the service area to inform all individuals of the availability of language assistance services.
All AAs and subrecipients must establish culturally and linguistically appropriate goals, policies, and management accountability, and infuse them throughout the organizations’ planning and operations.
Limitations:
Recipients and subrecipients may use Outreach Services funds for HIV testing when RWHAP resources are available, however testing must not supplant other existing funding.
Telehealth and Telemedicine is an alternative modality to provide most Ryan White Part B and State Services funded services. For the Ryan White Part B/SS funded providers and Administrative Agencies, telehealth and telemedicine services are to be provided in real-time via audio and video communication technology which can include videoconferencing software.
DSHS HIV Care Services requires that for Ryan White Part B or SS funded services providers must use features to protect ePHI transmission between client and providers. RW Providers must use a telehealth vendor that provides assurances to protect ePHI that includes the vendor signing a business associate agreement (BAA). Ryan White Providers using telehealth must also follow DSHS HIV Care Services guidelines for telehealth and telemedicine outlined in DSHS Telemedicine Guidance.
Service Standard and Measure
The following Standards and Measures are guides to improving health outcomes for people living with HIV throughout the State of Texas within the Ryan White Part B and State Services Program.
| Standard | Measure |
|---|---|
|
Linkage: Identified people living with HIV who do not know their status will be referred to a RWHAP or non-RWHAP service provider to facilitate the transition to medical services. Outreach models vary by provider, but outreach services should increase available access points to care. Identified people living with HIV who do not know their status may be linked to the following services:
Outreach Services include linkage follow-up to ensure and confirm the identified people living with HIV attended a medical appointment. |
Percentage of identified people living with HIV who did not know their status that have documented evidence of referral to a service provider. Percentage of individuals with documented evidence of follow-up to determine successful linkage (attended a medical appointment) to RWHAP services in the Outreach provider primary record. |
|
Re-engagement: Identified people living with HIV who know their status but not currently in care will be referred into RWHAP or non- RWHAP services to facilitate access to appropriate medical care and obtain needed support services. Outreach models vary by provider, but outreach services should increase available access points to care. Identified people living with HIV who know their status but not in care may be re-linked/re-engaged to a previous medical provider or case manager. Outreach Services include follow-up to ensure the identified people living with HIV attended a medical appointment. |
Percentage of identified people living with HIV who know their status but not in care that have documented evidence of a referral to a service provider. Percentage of individuals with documented evidence of follow-up to determine successful re-engagement to RWHAP services in the Outreach provider primary record. |
References
HRSA/HAB Division of Metropolitan HIV/AIDS Programs Program Monitoring Standards – Part A April 2013. p. 32-33. Accessed on October 12, 2020.
HRSA/HAB Division of State HIV/AIDS Programs National Monitoring Standards – Program Part B April, 2013. p. 30-31. Accessed on October 12, 2020.