A Case Study in Collaborating with Atlanta-Based African-American Churches: A Promising Means for Reaching Inner-City Substance Users with Rapid HIV Testing

Abstract

This case study examined programmatic data from a federally funded faith-based rapid HIV testing initiative. In 2004, Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc. (RCA, Inc.) began providing rapid HIV testing in collaboration with six Atlanta-based African-American churches. Of the 1,947 persons tested from January 2004 to July 2005, 1,872 (96.1%) were African-American, 1,247 (64%) were male, and 1,612 (82.8%) were between the age of 26 and 56. A total of 85 HIV-infected individuals were identified and 72 were identified as previously undiagnosed cases (positivity rate of 3.7%). This case study highlights and promotes rapid HIV testing offered in partnership with African American churches as a strategy for raising HIV awareness among inner-city substance users.

KEYWORDS:

• African American church
• HIV rapid testing
• inner-city substance users
• addiction treatment
• peer-led recovery support services

Notes

This publication was supported by the Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services (Grant #TI03-008) from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, a division of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in the US Department of Health and Human Services.

This project was carried out with funding from a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) grant from the Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services (TCE/HIV). The views and opinions contained in the publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and should not be construed as such.

We would like to acknowledge Stephanie Bernard and Hazel Dean from the CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Office of Health Disparities; Lytt Gardner, Christine O'Daniels, Sherry Lomax, Hugh Potter, Laurie Reid, Danni Lentine and Jeff Bosshardt from the CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; the staff and volunteers at Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.; David Thompson and Catherine Nugent from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT); Ministers Tyrone E. Barnette, William E. Flippin, Sr., Ron Johnson, Greg Crawford, Samuel Pridgon, and Anthony A.W. Motley; and to all of those who participated in our HIV testing initiatives.

Note. *Sum of categories may not equal total due to missing data.