BOSTON HAPPENS PROGRAM - A MODEL OF HEALTH-CARE FOR HIV-POSITIVE, HOMELESS, AND AT-RISK YOUTH

The Boston HAPPENS [Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Adolescent Prov ider and Peer Education Network for Services] Program is a project sup ported by Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program, HI V/AIDS Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, which pro vides a network of care for homeless, at-risk, and HIV-positive youth (ages 12-24 years), involving eight agencies. The program has provided services to 1301 youth, including 46 who are HIV-positive. Boston HAP PENS provides a citywide network of culturally and developmentally app ropriate adolescent-specific care, including: (a) outreach and risk-re duction counseling through professional and adult-supervised peer staf f, (b) access to appropriate HIV counseling and testing support servic es, (c) life management counseling (mental health intake and visits as part of health care and at times of crisis), (d) health status screen ing and services needs assessment, (e) client-focused, comprehensive, multidisciplinary care and support, (f) follow-up and outreach to ensu re continuing care, and (g) integrated care and communication among pr oviders in the metropolitan Boston area. This innovative network of yo uth-specific care offers a continuum from street outreach to referral and HIV specialty care that crosses institutional barriers. (C) Societ y for Adolescent Medicine, 1998.