Advanced Training on the Needs of Incarcerated PLWHA Upon Community Re-entry
OASAS accreditation now in application process

This one-day training is to increase the awareness and sensitivity of health and human service providers to the challenges of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) involved in community re-entry after release from a correctional facility. These challenges include the overlapping issues of family reunification, mental health, substance use, and need for HIV care. Best practices will be reviewed to support community re-entry and utilization of HIV medical care and other services.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the specific challenges of family reunification for people living with HIV/AIDS;
• Describe the impact of unresolved past and possible future traumatic events;
• Use supportive inquiry to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the overlapping challenges encountered by released people living with HIV/AIDS as well as the strengths and resources of their “families” and/or social networks;
• Use strength-based strategies for supporting community re-entry for individuals with co-morbidities of HIV/AIDS, mental health/trauma issues, and/or substance abuse; and
• Facilitate clients’ access to HIV primary care and support services including drug treatment and overdose prevention to effectively manage challenges.

Prerequisite: It is required that participants take the AIDS Institute training, “Improving Outcomes for HIV-Positive Individuals Transitioning from Correctional Settings to the Community” before attending this training.
Audience: All health and human service providers who work directly with formerly incarcerated clients

To register, visit www.hivtrainingny.org.

Improving Health Outcomes for HIV-Positive Individuals Transitioning from Correctional Settings to the Community
6.5 OASAS credits (not approved for initial CPS credentialing)

This one-day training is for non-clinical providers who work with HIV positive clients who were formerly incarcerated or who are involved in the criminal justice system. The training will inform providers about the culture of corrections as it relates to HIV-infected inmates’ needs upon community re-entry. Best practices will be reviewed to assist formerly incarcerated clients living with HIV/AIDS establish and maintain linkages to care, as well as maneuver through the system and access needed services.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the role of community providers in supporting successful community re-entry for incarcerated HIV positive clients;
• Describe the distinction between jail and prison custodial settings and how HIV transitional planning services differ;
• Outline the challenges that HIV-infected inmates face upon release;
• Describe effective engagement techniques for working with inmates who are transitioning into community systems of care;
• Discuss strategies for conducting assessments with former inmates who are living with HIV/AIDS to learn about their needs and to create appropriate linkages and referrals; and
• Identify support services and resources for HIV infected inmates who have left the correctional system.

Prerequisite: It is strongly recommended that participants have previous knowledge of basic HIV/AIDS information, harm reduction and corrections.
Audience: All health and human service providers who work directly with formerly incarcerated clients

To register, visit www.hivtrainingny.org.