ARTAS

Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) is an intervention designed to link individuals with diagnosed HIV to medical care.

About ARTAS

Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) is an individual-level, multi-session, time-limited intervention designed to link individuals with recently diagnosed HIV to medical care. ARTAS supports early access to HIV medical care and helps clients to address barriers by emphasizing the client’s abilities rather than inabilities through use of the strengths-based approach. The setting of objectives and goals is driven by the client who must implement these changes. Finally, the mutually respectful and cooperative relationship between the client and linkage coordinator supports the client in their efforts to implement changes and overcome barriers.

ARTAS consists of up to five client sessions conducted over a 90-day period or until the client links to medical care – whichever comes first. ARTAS views the community as a resource for the client and client sessions are encouraged to take place outside the office or wherever the client feels most comfortable. Following the final client session, the client may be linked to a long-term/Ryan White case manager and/or another service delivery system to address his/her longer-term barriers to remaining in care, such as substance use treatment or mental health services.

Intervention Goals

The goal of ARTAS is to support people with HIV in linking to medical care soon after receiving a positive HIV test result.

  • ARTAS helps clients overcome barriers to being successfully linked to medical care.
  • ARTAS aims to create a trusting, effective relationship between client and Linkage Coordinator.
  • ARTAS helps to facilitate a client’s ability to create an action plan for being linked to medical care.

Intervention Core Elements

  • Build an effective working relationship between the Linkage Coordinator and each client
  • Focus on a client’s strengths by:
    • conducting a strengths-based assessment; and
    • encouraging each client to identify and use strengths, abilities, and skills to link to medical care and accomplish other goals.
  • Facilitate a client’s ability to:
    • identify and pursue their own goals; and
    • develop a step-by-step plan to accomplish those goals.
  • Maintain a client-driven approach by:
    • conducting one to five structured sessions with each client;
    • conducting active, community-based case management;
    • coordinating and linking each client to available community resources; and
    • advocating on a client’s behalf.

Intervention Population

Persons with HIV who are not in medical care and willing to participate in the intervention.

ARTAS Training

This training has three components:

  1. 1-hour eLearning pre-course module
  2. 1-hour Strengths-based Case Management eLearning module (English and Español language versions available)
  3. 3-day (15-hour) virtual, instructor-led training; or
  4. 2 -day (16-hour) in a live classroom setting
  • Training also available in Español.

This training is intended for persons who will conduct ARTAS sessions with clients, also known as the Linkage Coordinators. Ideally, Linkage Coordinators should have experience providing case management or social services and can include experienced case managers, social workers, and/or HIV test counselors.

Participants must complete the ARTAS Pre-Course Online Module and ARTAS Strengths-Based Case Management eLearning module located in CDC TRAIN before they can attend the instructor-led training.

To view and register for scheduled training:

  1. Access the National HIV Classroom Learning Center training calendarhosted on Cicatelli Associates, Inc.’s (CAI’s) website.
  2. Pre-register for your selected course via the link provided in the training calendar.
  3. Complete your registration on CDC TRAINas directed when you receive an email from the National HIV Classroom Learning Center. You must join the HIV CBA Learning Group and locate the HIV CBA Training Plan in order to complete your CDC TRAIN registration for a specific classroom session (step-by-step instructions are available).

To access eLearning modules, including training prerequisite courses:

  1. Log-in to CDC TRAINand access the HIV CBA Training Plan (step-by-step instructions are available).
  2. Select the module you wish to take.
  3. Launch the module or save the module for later.

To request that a training session be scheduled:

  1. CDC’s directly funded health department and CBO partners may request delivery of a CDC-supported training by submitting a request in the CBA Tracking System.
  2. Organizations not directly funded by CDC may contact their local health department for assistance in submitting a training request.

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact HIVCBA@cdc.gov.

Implementation and Marketing Materials

The materials and resources listed below support the implementation and/or marketing of ARTAS by health departments, community-based organizations, and health care or other organizations. The resources are evidence-based and designed for cost-effective, scalable implementation.

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  • Gardner LI, Metsch LR, Anderson-Mahoney P, Loughlin AM, del Rio C, Strathdee S, Sansom SL, Siegal HA, Greenberg AE, Holmberg SD; Antiretroviral Treatment and Access Study Study Group. Efficacy of a brief case management intervention to link recently diagnosed HIV-infected persons to care. AIDS 2005;19(4):423-431.
  • Craw JA, Gardner LI, Marks G, Rapp RC, Bosshart J, Duffus WA, Rossman A, Coughlin SL, Gruber D, Safford LA, Overton J, Schmitt K. Brief strengths-based case management promotes entry into HIV medical care: Results of the antiretroviral treatment access study-II. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008;47(5):597-606.
  • Neduzhko O, Postnov O, Sereda Y, Kulchynska R, Bingham T, Myers JJ, Flanigan T, Kiriazova T. Modified Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study (MARTAS): A randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of a linkage-to-care intervention among HIV-positive patients in Ukraine. AIDS and Behavior 2020;24:3142-3154.