Specifications include, but are not limited to: Patient Navigators (PN) will work with individuals diagnosed with HIV to help each person to access medical providers, stay in medical care, and achieve viral suppression. The focus of the services is to help individuals who are newly diagnosed, those who have fallen out of care, and to prevent individuals with complex needs leaving care. The PN will be housed in the medical clinical setting where HIV Care Services (funded by Ryan White Part C) are available. The role of the PN will be to identify and support clients in their case load who need increased support to remove barriers to access medical services. These individuals may be struggling with homelessness, substance abuse, mental health disorders, or other health and social issues that prevent their access to services. The PN may increase their time with clients in the clinic, support the client to attend appointments and complete necessary paperwork, take medications, and visit with client in the community (i.e., at their home, in a homeless camp, shelter, or accompany them on medical visits). The goal is to help individuals become more self-sufficient in their HIV care. The hope is that with increased support of patient navigators, individuals struggling with life challenges of homelessness, substance abuse, mental health disorders will be linked to other social services that can help address the circumstances and enroll in RW case management services. These navigators will help clients obtain transportation to appointments and link to other necessary services. The PN will work closely with State Linkage to Care staff and Ryan White Part B case managers to help maintain patients in medical care or to quickly re-engage clients who are out of care.
