2009 HIV/AIDS Health Improvement for Re-entering Ex-Offenders Initiative (HIRE)

As the lead agency to improve and protect the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will eliminate health disparities, the Office of Minority Health, through the mechanism of the HIRE Program, seeks to bridge healthcare gaps that exist with this epidemic to improve the HIV/AIDS health outcomes of ex-offenders re-entering the mainstream population. This demonstration project will focus on the three states with the highest incidence of inmates known to be infected with HIV or to have confirmed AIDS in state prisons at year end 2006: New York (4,000), Florida (3,412) and Texas (2,693). Through a systems navigation approach, the HIRE Program seeks to provide access to prevention and treatment services to the reentry population in an effort to support the Healthy People 2010 overarching goals to increase quality and years of healthy life and to eliminate health disparities. Applicants are expected to form stakeholder partnerships that will plan, develop and provide community-based HIV/AIDS-related services, transitional assistance, and substance abuse and mental health services for the reentry population. Community-based and faith-based organizations will be provided the opportunity to deliver comprehensive HIV/AIDS-related services and transition assistance to include prescription drug assistance and substance abuse and mental health services as well as issues surrounding employment, family, education, housing, and community involvement. The HIRE Program places primary focus on the reentry populations in the three targeted states, with special emphasis on the following reentry subpopulations: substance abusers, men who have sex with men, and individuals impacted by mental health disorders.