2004-2008
Focus: Evidence Based Practice, HIV/AIDS, Health Services Administration, Occupational Health, Drug Addiction and Control
The Partners
US Partners: Northern Rivers HIV/AIDS Consortium — a broad-based coalition of Minnesota agencies, healthcare systems, and public health professionals — served as the lead US institution. The Consortium
included North Country Health Services, Bemidji State University, the Minnesota Department of Health’s Section for STDs and HIV, Beltrami Area Service Collaborative, the Indian Health Service, Rural AIDS
Action Network, the New York City’s Metropolitan Hospital Center, Division of HIV/AIDS and other area community- and faith-based organizations.
Russian Partners: The Saratov Oblast AIDS Center served as the lead institution. The Engels City Health Department and other oblast and city-level health and social care institutions also collaborated.
Partnership Objectives
The overall goal of the partnership was to create replicable, integrated models of care and treatment for PLWH by establishing systems and processes to address human and organizational capacity needs related to providing high-quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment services.
Specifically, partners:
Increased the human and organizational capacity of the Saratov Regional AIDS Center and the Engels medical and social service system to deliver HIV/AIDS treatment, care, and support services;
Increased the number of patients receiving ART; and
Strengthened competencies and skills of staff in delivering specialty care for HIV and TB co-infection.
HIV/AIDS Treatment, Care, and Support
Ten Saratov partners participated in exchange trips to New York and Minnesota. On these professional exchanges, they received training in case management, treatment of HIV for IDUs, motivational interviewing, health literacy, the importance of having consumers as advisors, and treating TB and HIV co-infection. They also learned about fundraising activities the US HIV/AIDS agencies routinely conduct to supplement government funding.
In total, over two years, 12 Minnesota and New York partners participated in exchange trips to Saratov. The US partners conducted training on case management, HIV 101 (with pre and post test evaluations and a training of trainers component), blood borne pathogens, occupational safety, and HIV precautions in the work place.
The partners worked together to develop a chart audit form and random sample methodology and
reviewed 60 charts to determine what patients may be eligible for ART, what patients need CD-4 counts, and how many patients are following through with treatment and referrals. They presented their work and findings at the Russian Federation’s meeting on organizing surveillance and prevention of HIV-infection in October 2005.
The Engels City health administration created two case manager positions — a job function which
previously did not exist — for the Saratov AIDS Center. A job description was adopted and financial support for one nurse and one PLWH to be case managers was established.
The Saratov AIDS Center trained an additional 30 physicians and four nurses in ART initiation for adults and adolescents.
Saratov partners conducted HIV 101 training courses for more than 200 professionals.
- North Country Health Services
- Bemidji State University
- Minnesota Department of Health’s Section for STDs and HIV
- Beltrami Area Service Collaborative
- Indian Health Service
- Rural AIDS Action Network
- New York City’s Metropolitan Hospital Center, Division of HIV/AIDS
- Saratov Oblast AIDS Center
- Engels City Health Department
Read more about this partnership...
Updated: March 20, 2009
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