Shalom initiated direct HIV/AIDS services in December 2013 after 10 years of operation. We are one of the few FQHCs in Indianapolis that receives funding from the Marion County Ryan White Program. We provide routine testing to all; targeted outreach for Ryan White who fall under the Minority AIDS Initiative. In the past three years, Shalom has screened over 5,000 clients (approximately 1,710 per year; which over 1,300 have been Ryan White eligible.) Shalom has also provided approximately 1,295 clients’ mental health services and 312 client’s substance abuse condition services per year.

Shalom carries out comprehensive HIV/AIDS services under our Chief Clinical Officer, Lyndsey Furry, who’s been a key clinician in our three-year HIV/AIDS project led by Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center (MATEC). She has participated in shadowing opportunities, workshops and Indiana’s first PrEP summit. Shalom pharmacist, Ashley Townsend de Lara, shadowed other infectious disease pharmacists, as well as attended the PrEP Summit. In addition, Shalom has expanded the HIV department with a Program Manager, Angie Martinez, who manages our PrEP navigator and two HIV outreach and Education specialists who focus on prevention and the continuum of HIV care.

Shalom’s Compliance Department monitors the HIV/AIDS Program. Supervising trainings and resources, enhancing policies and procedures have been fully implemented with proper training and observed resource utilization. HIV and PrEP Care are properly monitored, evaluated and documented to comply with National Monitoring Standards.

Additionally, we have a diverse staff at our clinics, many of whom are bilingual. A translation service is utilized for any interpreting requirements for our patients. Our staff seeks to enhance Shalom’s cultural responsiveness by focusing on training and equipping staff. Annual training includes sexual orientation/gender identity (SOGI), HIV 101, and general cultural competency (within minority, LGBTQ+, disabled, and elderly populations).

Furthermore, Shalom is invested in providing and expanding services to the Latinx community. Shalom has been a part of Latinos Unidos contra el VIH Committee who organizes the National Latinx Aids Awareness Day in Indianapolis to create awareness and provide resources to the Latinx committee. In addition, Shalom has launched one of the first PrEP awareness campaigns focused on the Latinx community in Indiana called Mi Gente. This campaign’s goal is to provide prevention information and access to testing and PrEP for the Latinx community and held reduce the new HIV cases.

With the generous support of the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD), we have implemented a culturally sensitive HIV prevention program, For The Culture, to target the Black population on the west side of Indianapolis with goals to decrease stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and increase access to HIV prevention services. For The Culture consists of three components: education, outreach, and primary care services which will entail a Black focused PrEP campaign (marketing and public service announcements), community engagement through events and condom distribution; and HIV testing, screening, treatment and referral to PrEP services.

Finally, since 2019 Shalom has become a part of the Community Health Improvement Initiative (CHII) hosted be the Indiana Department of Health in conjunction with many partners. This program aimed to reduce HIV-related disparities experienced by African American Men who have sex with men (MSM) community and in 2021 for Youth in order to end the epidemic. CHII requires at least two advocates from each organization to promote cultural competency of providers, engage and retain patients in services/care, deploy evidence-based practices, and collaborate with other providers/partners. We plan to continue to implement trainings, such as recognizing privileges, diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization.