HIV Outreach and Case Management :

Through the Risk Reduction Plus Team, the agency provides an outreach and case management service geared to support HIV-infected individuals with substance abuse problems and/or substance abusers at risk for HIV infection, as they seek to access required services. Risk Reduction Plus services are also offered on-site at DePaul Addiction Services.

The goal of the Risk Reduction Plus program is to provide HIV/AIDS education and referrals to substance abusers, many of whom are at risk of contracting the virus or are already HIV positive. The Risk Reduction Plus team also encourages people to get tested for HIV and strives to get HIV+ (infected) substance users into treatment programs.

Funded by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, the Risk Reduction Plus program targets high-risk individuals who are actively using as well as those who are already in recovery. Team members visit schools, clinics, and Community Based organizations. The primary focus is on street outreach (food pantries, soup kitchens, barbershops, high drug-traffic neighborhoods) and prevention education. The connection between substance use and HIV/STD’s is the hallmark of the Risk Reduction Plus team educational presentations. Programs are offered to all clients and staff of the RecoveryNet collaborative of chemical dependency treatment providers in the Rochester area.