A. Schneir et al., CHILDRENS-HOSPITAL LOS-ANGELES - A MODEL OF INTEGRATED CARE FOR HIV-POSITIVE AND VERY HIGH-RISK YOUTH, Journal of adolescent health, 23(2), 1998, pp. 59-70
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) provides an integrated care mode
l for youth with and at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HI
V) infection, through a grant from the Special Projects of National Si
gnificance Program, HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) Bure
au, Health Resources and Services Administration. The project has prov
ided outreach to 8400 youth at risk and has provided clinical services
to 296 young men (16.6% HIV positive) and 352 young women (9.1% HIV p
ositive). Situated within the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Child
rens Hospital Los Angeles, the project consists of a general medical c
linic for youth along with psychosocial services including case manage
ment, counseling, and related ancillary services. A key part of the mo
del is to provide health services within a general medical clinic for
youth where participation in the clinic does not serve to identify a y
outh to his or her peers in the waiting room as having HIV. Another ke
y part of the model is to provide extensive outreach within the commun
ity including contacts at bars and social clubs where high-risk youth
congregate, on the street, and through the social networks of youth al
ready identified as having HIV who participate in the CHLA clinics. In
the last 2 years of the program, the peer outreach component has been
strengthened and peer support activities have also been implemented.
The program also has developed a Computer-Assisted Adolescent Referral
System (CAARS), available on diskette and on the Internet, for the re
ferral of youth to services in the Hollywood area. (C) Society for Ado
lescent Medicine, 1998.