CPIU – Community Prevention and Intervention Unit
The Community Prevention and Intervention Unit of the Department of Healthcare Sciences is involved in a wide spectrum of activities to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
The CPIU is staffed by more than 35 professionals involved in a wide spectrum of activities to help at risk individuals and HIV/AIDS community-based organizations and health departments across the country prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV.
As stated in its Mission Statement, the CPIU staff specializes in partnering with communities to develop and implement effective programs to prevent disease and promote health.
HIV Testing & Risk Reduction Counseling Programs
CPIU staff members provide counseling and HIV testing at a wide variety of community locations, especially drug treatment centers, half-way houses, the county jail, and other community locations, to people at high risk for infection. Individual and small group sessions are available to help people change behaviors that could transmit or cause them to acquire HIV or other STDs.
Technology Transfer Team
The Technology Transfer Team provides HIV behavioral intervention training and technical assistance on a number of evidence-based interventions to HIV and STD prevention agencies nationwide. The two- to four-day courses help agencies develop the skills to conduct these behavioral interventions effectively and with the greatest potential for behavior change.
CPIU Education Workgroup
CPIU collaborates with many local agencies and organizations in efforts to serve at-risk populations in multiple settings, such as individuals within substance use/abuse clinics, homeless shelters, incarcerated/recently released facilities, community college campuses, and monolingual/bilingual populations.
HIV Prevention Toolbox
As part of its education program, CPIU provides an HIV Prevention Toolbox, which includes informational resources for Community-Based Organizations and “frontline personnel” involved in preventing the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.