The ABHAC Project identifies and assist HIV positive individuals not in primary medical care to enter care and treatment at a community health center or subcontracted HIV medical provider. The ABHAC Project is targeting residents of the Arizona-Mexico border who are at risk for HIV or who are diagnosed with HIV through outreach activities. The goal of the project is to identify HIV positive individuals and to direct them to community health centers for primary health care. The project has implemented a model of co-managed medical care with physicians who practice in border community health centers or in the community to enhance the treatment and care of patients with HIV. Training of clinic staff and community providers is the responsibility of the Arizona AIDS Education Training Center and the physicians of the Special Immunology Associates (SIA) clinic.

The project conducts outreach activities in the counties of Yuma, Santa Cruz and Cochise through the use of promotoras and outreach staff. In year three 1164 individual outreach contacts and 7198 individuals have been contacted through group presentations. It is estimated that through the 3 radio spots that approximately 75,000 individuals have been exposed to HIV information in southern Arizona and Mexico. The project has documented 251 individuals tested for HIV in the period of July 1 through December 31, 2002. To date the project has tested 422 individuals for HIV through the project. Physicians have been identified at the community health centers (CHC) that have expressed an interest to participate in the project as well as two physicians in private practice. The teaching physician, Dr. Kevin Carmichael (SIA) has established a working relationship with the CHCs and physician(s); he provides medical consultation and schedules clinics where he co-manages patients with the attending physician. These activities are documented for local and multi-site evaluation. The Arizona AIDS ETC provides ongoing assessment of the training needs of the participating CHC, Chiricahua, Mariposa and Sunset and develops training. The staff of AZ AIDS ETC in collaboration with the SIA clinic developed eight training topic modules used at the CHCs. Multi-site and local evaluation instruments have been implemented for data collection. The project has enrolled 92 patients since its implementation. In year three 17 new patients were enrolled into the ABHAC Project.