Linkage to Care | Georgia Department of Public Health

Linkage to Care

General Information

The Georgia Department of Public Health has several initiatives aimed at promoting improved linkage, engagement, and retention in care:

Improved Linkages

In order to better capture HIV linkages taking place through testing, The Office of HIV/AIDS has increased its training efforts to facilitate the proper completion of state testing forms. Ensuring the proper documentation of patient demographics, risk behavior, testing technology, and testing results; as well as linkage to medical care and HIV incidence/ART medication use for all confirmed positives.

Significant advances in HIV testing technology and prevention strategies have been made since the release of CDC’s 2009 Fundamentals of HIV Prevention Counseling. In an effort, to provide the most up-to-date training and technical assistance for HIV testing providers in Georgia, the Office of HIV/AIDS has released the Rapid HIV Testing Protocols and Quality Control Manual. This document is a compilation of the Fundamentals of HIV Prevention Counseling (CDC 2009) and, the more recent Implementing HIV Testing in Nonclinical Settings: A Guide for HIV Testing Providers (CDC 2016). It is intended to serve as both a training manual and a reference for HIV testing and prevention providers.

Click here to download PDF.

For more information concerning the Rapid HIV Testing Protocols and Quality Control or to register for one of our trainings, please contact:

Cicely Richard, MSW

Training and Development Specialist

Cicely.Richard@dph.ga.gov

Care and Prevention in the United States (CAPUS) Resource Hub

The CAPUS Resource Hub is an online tool which facilitates linkage to HIV/AIDS care and social services statewide. Components of the hub include a Ryan White Pre-ligibility Portal, mapping and testing information, a Resource Directory, and medical information on HIV/AIDS and related health conditions. This centralized tool leverages existing resources and expands the treatment, testing, and prevention capabilities of Georgia organizations within the HIV/AIDS realm. To learn more visit gacapus.com.

Corrections Linkages

Each year, roughly 300 HIV positive inmates are released from prison. In order to link them to critical medical and social services, The Office of HIV/AIDS works closely with The Department of Corrections to provide pre-release case management services.

Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) Linkage Case Management (ALCM)

ARTAS is an individual-level, multi-session, time-limited intervention to link individuals who have been recently diagnosed with HIV to medical care. ALCM is based on the Strengths-Based Case Management model. This model encourages the client to identify and use personal strengths; create goals for him/herself; and establish an effective, working relationship with the ALCM. This model also views the community as a resource for the client; client sessions can take place either inside/outside of the office. Currently, ARTAS Linkage Case Managers are funded through the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) and Georgia's Test-Link-Care Program.

Georgia's Prevention and Test-Link-Care Programs

The purpose of the Test Link Care Network model is to identify and promptly link to care persons who are living with HIV but not receiving care, including those who are unaware of, as well as those who are aware of their HIV positive status. The model also strives to improve patient retention in HIV primary care through improved inter-organization collaborations. Collectively, there are 13 ARTAS Linkage Case Managers throughout the state of Georgia.

Resources for Providers

Giving HIV Test Results

Providing an HIV test

result can be difficult.

The following

Giving Test Results Guide

helps healthcare providers

become more comfortable

with and proficient at

giving HIV test results.

HIV Billing & Reimbursement Guide

The HIV billing and reimbursement manual provides a coding guide for routine HIV testing in health care settings.

HIV Testing Cost Calculator

This basic cost calculator is designed to estimate revenue and expenses for HIV screening or testing. Fill in each section of the chart according to the instructions to estimate monthly costs, monthly revenue and the average gain or loss for each test performed.

Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Report makes recommendations for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, which are intended for all health-care providers in the public and private sectors, including those working in hospital emergency departments, urgent care clinics, inpatient services, substance abuse treatment clinics, public health clinics, community clinics, correctional health-care facilities, and primary care settings. The recommendations address HIV testing in health-care settings only:

Revised Recommendations for HIV testing

Adult/Pediatric HIV Confidential Case Report Form

Georgia statute identifies HIV and AIDS as disease of public health importance and requires both health care

providers and laboratories to report new cases and subsequent lab tests of HIV and AIDS within 7 days.

Use the following forms and instructions to report your cases:

All completed forms should be submitted electronically or mailed to the Georgia Division of Public Health. Please do NOT write HIV or AIDS on the envelope. Results must be double enveloped and addressed to:

Georgia Division of Public Health, Epi Section

P.O. Box 2107

Atlanta, GA 30301

(Please Do NOT Write HIV or AIDS on Envelope)

An electronic Adult Case Report Form (eACRF) can be transmitted to Georgia's Department of Public Health through the secure disease reporting system called SENDSS (State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System). A user login and password must be assigned. To create a SENDSS authorized user account, or for assistance with an existing account, please contact Angela Alexander, SENDSS Administrator at Angela.Alexander@dph.ga.gov.