The LA County HIV Commission on HIV is working on their Special Populations Guidelines for the Standards of Care and are looking for input with regards to SOC for HIV+ transpeople.

To that end they have convened a Special Population Guidelines Expert Panel, of which I am a part. They gave us a list of 14 questions (and asked us to come up with more which they might not have thought of). We are looking for any input from the community on any/all of these questions – or on any relevant topic which we can bring to the table.

Please refrain from responding unless you are in Los Angeles County. We really want HIV+ transpeople’s opinions first and foremost. Secondly, we would like Service Providers’ input as well. I would appreciate it, if you are responding as a Service Provider, that you let me know, as I suspect that the response will come from a different (though probably overlapping) perspective.

If you want to read the Standards of Care as they currently exist, you can go here: http://hivcommission-la.info/soc.asp. There are 28 Standards.

If you don’t want to read them, but want to provide input, that’s fine. The questions are below.

1.
What special needs are not being addressed in the LA County HIV/AIDS Continuum of Care that are specific to this population?

2.
What are the challenges of retention in care for members of this specific population?

3.
How is primary health care (see bullet points for definition of primary health care core services) delivered and received differently for and by this special population?
a. HIV counseling & testing
b. Partner counseling/referral
c. Health education/risk reduction
d. Medical outpatient
e. Medical specialty
f. Treatment education
g. Medical nutrition therapy
h. Mental health, psychiatry
i. Mental health, psychotherapy
j. Oral health
k. Substance abuse, treatment
l. Substance abuse, residential m. Hospice

4.
How are psychosocial services delivered and received differently for and by this special population?

5.
What service adaptations/modifications are needed to enhance the effectiveness of (health) care and (social) services to this population?

6.
What interventions work and do not work – are and are not successful/effective – when providing care and services to this population?

7.
How much and what kind of resource are needed to serve this population effectively?

8.
What “best practices” are important to use in order to keep members of this special population in care, adherent to their medical regimens, and compliant with their care and service plans?

9.
How do traditional service delivery systems need to be altered/revised/modified to meet the needs of this population?

10.
How comfortable (psychologically, physically) are professionals when they are providing care and services to member of this population, and what are the sources of discomfort?

11.
What has been learned in the field (resources, etc.) about the special/unique needs of this special population?

12.
What characteristics/modifications are essential/necessary/suggested to create an environment that welcomes members of this special population into care and treatment?

13.
What are the best mechanisms to identify members of this community who need care and services, to reach them, and to facilitate their access of care and services?

We reconvene on 30 January 2007. I would appreciate it if responses could be e-mailed to me at no later than 25 January 2007.

Please circulate this to providers as well as to community members. I would especially like to hear from community members who don’t access services, or who have tried and have had negative experiences.