Project ARK Treatment Adherence Peer Program at a Glance
Peer program founded: 2007
Program mission: To achieve optimum health outcomes by improving treatment adherence and linkage to care for people living with HIV/AIDS in the greater St. Louis area
Number of peer educators: 4
Work Setting: Clinics at Washington University and St. Louis University and private physicians’ offices
Number of clients peers have served: Each peer maintains enrollment of 20 -25 clients per year. Peers have received 80 referrals to date for 2009 (as of Sept. 1, 2009).
Funding source: Ryan White Parts A and D
Work Schedule: Two peers work part time, 8 hours per work; two peers work full time, with duties split 50-50 between treatment adherence and other programs
Compensation: Peers are paid an hourly stipend, full-time peers receive same benefits as other employees (health care, retirement savings plan, tuition remission).
Peer responsibilities:
- Address adherence needs of referred clients as a member of the multidiscliplinary team
- Provide one-on-on social and emotional support to clients
- Develop patient care plan with client, coach clients in adherence skills
- Help clients navigate the facility, access needed services
- Provide feedback to adherence program staff, participate in weekly multidiscliplinary staff meetings
- Help remove barriers to attending medical appointments, facilitate communication with providers
- Monitor clients’ kept medical appointments and CD4 counts, maintain and complete documentation for medical chart for each care plan
- Participate in case management, individual supervision sessions
Success measures: Number of kept medical appointments, CD4 counts, and viral loads
