Project Bridge: Intensive Primary Care Follow-Up for Men and Women
Being Released from Prison
The Health and Disability Working Group is conducting an evaluation of a
primary care and case management program for HIV-positive ex-offenders at
Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island. This is a Special Project of National Significance,
funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
This project was created to test the following hypothesis: utilization of
primary care for treatment of HIV disease by HIV positive individuals released
from prison will be promoted by intensive case management and outreach activities.
The Project Bridge model consists of professional social work staff and
outreach workers to provide follow-up services for eighteen months to HIV
positive inmates upon their release from prison; there is a follow-up interview
six months after the program discharge date. The services available to these
individuals consist of primary care, intensive case management, psychosocial
supports, and community outreach.
HDWG’s evaluation activities for Project Bridge are both national
and local.
The local evaluation activities include:
A The provision of data for program brochures (“The Man that Jack
Built” has been completed) and published academic papers
B The provision of medical outcome data, such as CD4 counts and viral loads,
to Miriam Hospital physicians
C The completion of a process evaluation for the project
D The publication of journal article(s)
E A qualitative case study report addressing Project Bridge enrollee experiences
and perceived outcomes
The national evaluation activities include:
A All activities associated with data submissions to the Evaluation and
Technical Assistance Center for Project Bridge clients in the following
areas: Domain, Demographics, Sex and Drug Behaviors, Health Status and Health
Functioning, Drug and Mental Health Services, Medical Services, Non-Medical
Services, DSM4 Mental Health Diagnosis, and Agency Characteristics
B Participation in several workgroup multi-site papers, including multi-site
program implementation and substance abuse
C Participation in the development of two articles as part of the informal
multi-site collaboration of three SPNS projects
At present, HDWG is preparing their final data submission to the Evaluation
and Technical Assistance Center for use both locally and nationally in a
multi-site database. This data will then be provided for a follow-up program
brochure (“The Man that Jack Built II”) and will be disseminated
in journal articles, presentations at national AIDS conferences, and other
forms of media. HDWG is also preparing a journal article for publication
in conjunction with the Project Bridge staff and preparing conference presentations
on our findings.
Key staff for this project:
• Mari-Lynn Drainoni, Ph.D., Senior Evaluator
• Mark Vedrani, B.S., Program Director
• Jennifer Andrew, M.P.H., Data Manager, Program Manager
National Evaluation and Program Support Center to conduct a multi-site evaluation of outreach activities designed to engage and retain individuals with HIV in medical care. Funded by Health Resources and Services Administration
A national evaluation of peer education training programs for people living with HIV.
A National Center working to advance the Healthy People 2010 objective that all children with special health care needs have access to adequate health insurance and financing for their care.
A cross-disciplinary training curriculum in HIV and substance abuse, designed for health care providers, support service providers and substance abuse treatment providers.