Working to eliminate disparities between prisoner health and public health
Center for Health Justice offers programs and services to both men and women in correctional facilities, with a focus on prisoners who are HIV+ or at greatest risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The bulk of our programming currently takes place within the Los Angeles County jail system. At Men's Central Jail, our services are predominantly focused on prisoners housed in the K-11 unit -- a segregated housing for gay, bi-sexual, and transgender males. Center for Health Justice works collaboratively with the deputies and staff of the S.M.A.R.T. Program (Social Mentoring, Academic, and Rehabilitative Training) which provides educational programs such as GED and Drug Ed for this population.
The primary goals of all of our in-custody treatment and education programs are to:
- Increase HIV prevention and treatment knowledge
- Improve self-advocacy
- Encourage healthier choices while incarcerated and upon release
- Provide support for newly adopted risk reduction techniques
- Reduce recidivism rates
- Encourage leadership development among current and post-incarcerated persons.
