120972.1. (a) To the extent that funds are available for these purposes, the State Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS may allocate funds to local health departments and community-based organizations to support HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) navigation and retention coordinators and related services for the purpose of increasing PrEP and PEP initiation and retention among individuals most vulnerable to HIV.
(b) Navigation and retention services may include, but are not limited to, outreach and education, community messaging, assistance with applying for and retaining health coverage, assistance with enrollment in PrEP and PEP financial assistance programs, care coordination and adherence support, financial assistance for transportation costs, and linkage to behavioral health, substance use, housing, and other social service programs.
(c) The Office of AIDS shall establish a simple application process for local health departments and community-based organizations to receive funding to support PrEP and PEP navigation and retention coordinators and related services.
(d) Local health departments and community-based organizations in any county shall be eligible for funding if they meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Provide enrollment or clinical services for the HIV prevention program as outlined in Section 120972.
(2) Describe how funding for PrEP and PEP navigation and retention coordinators and related services will help to improve PrEP initiation and retention in their specific geographic area.
(3) Demonstrate the capacity to provide culturally appropriate PrEP and PEP navigation and retention services to one or more communities vulnerable to HIV, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Black, indigenous, and people of color.
(B) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning individuals.
(C) Non-English-speaking individuals.
(D) Other populations that are difficult to reach, including those with transportation or technology challenges.
(E) People experiencing homelessness.
(F) People involved in the carceral system.
(G) People who use drugs.
(H) People engaged in sex work.
(I) Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
(J) Undocumented individuals.
(K) Women.
(L) Youth.
(e) Local health departments and community-based organizations shall be eligible to apply for one or more PrEP navigation and retention coordinators based on need in the specific geographic area and organizational capacity to reach the target population or populations.
(f) Funded local health departments and community-based organizations shall collaborate with the Office of AIDS to conduct outcome and process evaluation of PrEP and PEP navigation and retention services. The Office of AIDS shall establish performance metrics to ensure that funding is used efficiently and measure program success.
(g) The Office of AIDS may use a portion of funds to contract with a third-party entity to provide training, program technical assistance, and capacity building to funded local health departments and community-based organizations.
(h) To the extent allowable under federal law, and upon availability of funds, the Office of AIDS may expend funding for the activities outlined in this section from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program Rebate Fund as implemented pursuant to Section 120956.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 143, Sec. 24. (AB 133) Effective July 27, 2021.)