In the U.S., peer-based technical assistance (TA) is available from NASTAD via several mechanisms, including on-site consultation, networking, listservs and sharing peer-developed materials for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), addressing racial/ethnic health disparities, addressing the prevention needs of youth, and HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis prevention, care and treatment services and program linkages.
ADAP Mentoring
NASTAD’s Care and Treatment TA Program recently supported an on-site peer-based consultation by a new Part B Program Administrator to another jurisdiction, where he was given a global overview of that state’s Part B and ADAP programs and was able to learn about their approach to addressing issues in correctional settings, community planning, capacity building and dental programs, reporting two major benefits from the visit: he now has a contact and colleague whom he can speak to about specific questions or issues, and he has examples of programs and idea in place elsewhere to consider for his own state’s program development.
African American Leadership Team Regional Forums
NASTAD has held two regional forums, one focused on corrections and another on African American women. The purpose of these forums was to help states in specific regions share best practices and improve programming targeting these specific issues. Over the course of the year, participating states will be given on-going TA, including individual and multi-team conference calls, listserv development, and peer-to-peer TA and mentoring.
Community Planning - Navigating Change
NASTAD worked closely with one health department on implementing integrated/merged/or collaborative planning. As with any significant change to a group’s organization, there were many questions about the pros and cons of the change, what the new, integrated group would look like, and how to make the transition as smooth as possible. NASTAD shared materials generated in jurisdictions that had already integrated their planning, presented the national perspective on integrated planning and supported peer-based presentations by other jurisdictions who’ve implemented these changes.
Viral Hepatitis
Health department hepatitis and HIV program staff have been posting department developed materials on a variety of hepatitis related issues in the NASTAD Resource Bank for others to access, learn from and use. A specific example of the utility of the resource bank has been around planning for hepatitis awareness month. Many state programs have been planning for gubernatorial and legislative proclamations of May as hepatitis awareness month.