Brothers to Brothers/Sisters to Sisters Strengths and Challenges

The Brothers to Brothers/Sisters to Sisters Program faces distinct challenges and barriers in its effort to address the heightened HIV/AIDS risks faced by minority populations.

• Diverse agencies, multiple treatment settings and modalities make coordination of outreach and consistency of interventions more challenging
  
• Diminishing HIV resources (e.g., Ryan White funds) limit some partner agencies in level of participation they can provide as coalition partners
  
• Over-lapping and sometimes competing organizational responsibilities for HIV outreach in Dayton have created turf issues and communication barriers
  
• Given multiple settings and clientele, and homelessness, GPRA follow-up is labor intensive, thereby draining other project resources (current six month follow-up success rate is 77%).
  

Simultaneous to the program's drawbacks, however, are its strengths and advantages in approaching the topic. Several agencies in Dayton have history of conducting HIV outreach and education.

• Wright State University has history of conducting local research around this topic.
• Strong consumer advisory group, aided by excellent CSAT technical assistance, has led to a strong consumer-driven focus.
• Coalition partners display strong commitment to need for addressing HIV prevention in concert with increased access to AOD treatment, and project very goal-oriented.
• Support from local media for topic, with solid name recognition of the project as one result.
• Use of the Public Health Mobile Unit (outreach van) and rapid testing are viewed as very positive outcomes that will continue beyond the grant funding.
• Faith community involved in project at several levels.
• Good coordination of project with local health fairs and other special events.
• Strong and experienced project core staff, with comprehensive training agenda.