Linkage, Retention and Adherence

New York Links (NYLinks)

New York Links (NYLinks) began in September of 2011 as a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded Special Project of National Significance (SPNS) and is a statewide initiative focusing on improving linkage to care, engagement in care, and viral load suppression for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).  This is done through the formation of geographically based collaboratives of HIV providers who meet regularly to share improvement work.  NYLinks measures improvement using data that is self-reported, then verified through surveillance.  Improvement is measured organizationally as well as regionally.  Participants in NYLinks receive technical assistance to assist them with their improvement projects.

Mission of NYLinks

NYLinks addresses community needs and statewide priorities through enhanced collaboration and integration of quality improvement methodology among organizations and programs that provide HIV services to decrease gaps in the HIV care continuum as part of the New York State initiative to end AIDS.

Goals of NYLinks

To identify and spread innovative solutions for improving linkage to and engagement in HIV care that support the delivery of routine, timely, and effective care for PLWHA in New York State.  To bridge systemic gaps between HIV related services to achieve better outcomes for PLWHA through improving systems for monitoring, recording, and accessing information about engagement and linkage to HIV care in NYS.

Major Strategies

  • Implementing a community-based response to the HIV epidemic by mobilizing networks of clinical and non-clinical providers, community leaders, and community members living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
  • Aligning programs, providers and the community to address the Ending the Epidemic goals of New York State through shared, local leadership and with technical support from state and local health departments.
  • Building capacity for quality improvement in the region, identifying and disseminating successful interventions within the continuum of HIV services and sustaining the achieved regional results.
  • Using community level data to link public health strategies with clinic and service level improvement initiatives.

In Plain Language

NYLinks builds regional groups consisting of everyone--public and private--who provide services to HIV-positive individuals.  The purpose of these groups is to share best practices, develop a common culture around improvement, and work, both individually and regionally, to improve linkage to care, engagement in care, and viral load suppression through the use of shared data, competition, networking, and peer learning.

Contact:

Steven Sawicki, MHSA
Program Manager
Office of the Medical Director
(518) 474-3813
steven.sawicki@health.ny.gov

For more information:  http://www.newyorklinks.org