Positively Living & Choice Health Network
- Need: To provide affirming, destigmatized healthcare and support to thousands of Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness – and prevention services for individuals at risk of contracting HIV.
- Intervention: Positively Living & Choice Health Network provides services including a medical clinic, pharmacy, therapy, case management, client services like housing aid and transportation, HIV prevention, and a harm reduction program.
- Results: The program currently serves 5,000 individuals and families through its offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Cookeville and its mobile medical unit for rural communities in Cocke and Claiborne counties.
Description
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, in 2021, there were 843 newly diagnosed individuals living with HIV, totaling to 19,523 people in the state living with HIV, a rate of 279.9 per 100,000 people.
Positively Living & Choice Health Network is a public health nonprofit that provides healthcare and support to those living with HIV/AIDS as well as other vulnerable populations living in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Cookeville, Memphis, and the surrounding counties for each location. Originally created as a day center in 1996 for people with HIV/AIDS, the program now serves those with:
- HIV/AIDS
- Risk for contracting HIV
- Homelessness
- Mental illness
- Substance use disorders
Services offered
The Knoxville office provides:
- Medical care, including primary care, pharmacy, and telehealth
- HIV prevention, including testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Client services, including emergency aid, case management, and therapy
- Harm reduction, including syringe exchange, naloxone, wound care and education
- Harm reduction mobile outreach to rural Cocke and Claiborne counties
The Chattanooga office provides:
- Telehealth
- HIV prevention, including testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Client services, including emergency aid, case management, and therapy
- Naloxone distribution
The Memphis office provides:
- Infectious disease and primary care
- Client services, including emergency aid, case management, and referrals
The rural Cookeville office provides:
- Telehealth
- Client services, including emergency aid, case management, and therapy
- Naloxone distribution
Results
Positively Living & Choice Health Network has offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Cookeville and currently serves 5,000 individuals and families through a medical clinic, client services program, and harm reduction program.
Contact Information
Reece Rose, Prevention and Outreach ManagerPositively Living & Choice Health Network
865.525.1540 Ext. 135
reece@choicehealthnetwork.org
Topics
Behavioral health
HIV and AIDS
Housing and homelessness
LGBTQI+
Mental health conditions
Substance use and misuse
States served
Tennessee
Date added
November 13, 2018
Date updated or reviewed
February 5, 2024
Suggested citation: Rural Health Information Hub, 2024. Positively Living & Choice Health Network [online]. Rural Health Information Hub. Available at: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/1040 [Accessed 27 April 2024]
Please contact the models and innovations contact directly for the most complete and current information about this program. Summaries of models and innovations are provided by RHIhub for your convenience. The programs described are not endorsed by RHIhub or by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Each rural community should consider whether a particular project or approach is a good match for their community’s needs and capacity. While it is sometimes possible to adapt program components to match your resources, keep in mind that changes to the program design may impact results.