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Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS)

Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) is an individual-level, multi-session, time-limited intervention with the goal of linking recently diagnosed persons with HIV to medical care soon after receiving their positive test result. ARTAS is based on the Strengths-based Case Management (SBCM) model, which is rooted in Social Cognitive Theory (particularly self-efficacy) and Humanistic Psychology. SBCM is a model that encourages the client to identify and use personal strengths; create goals for himself/herself; and establish an effective, working relationship with the Linkage Coordinator (LC). 

ARTAS LogoTarget Population: The target population for ARTAS is any individual who is recently diagnosed with HIV, typically defined as within 6-12 months, and willing to participate in the intervention.

Training Information

Target Audience: This training is intended for individuals who will be responsible for conducting the ARTAS sessions with clients, (i.e., Linkage Coordinator). Linkage Coordinators should have experience providing case management or social services. Ideally, participants should include experienced case managers, social workers, and/or HIV test counselors. Pre-course reading is required. 

To apply for training on ARTAS, please visit the EffectiveInterventions Training Calendar.  

Research and Development

L.I. Gardner, L.R. Metsch, P. Anderson-Mahoney, A.M. Loughlin, C. del Rio, S. Strathdee, S.L. Sansom, H.A. Siegal, A.E. Greenberg, S.D. Holmberg, and the ARTAS Study Group, “Efficacy of a Brief Case Management Intervention to Link Recently Diagnosed HIV-Infected Persons to Care,” AIDS 19, no. 4 (2005): 423-431.

J.A. Craw, L.I. Gardner, G. Marks, R.C. Rapp, J. Bosshart, W.A. Duffus, A. Rossman, S.L. Coughlin, D. Gruber, L.A. Safford, J. Overton, and K. Schmitt, “Brief Strengths-Based Case Management Promotes Entry into HIV Medical Care: Results of the Antiretroviral Treatment Access Study-II,” Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes 47, no. 5 (2008): 597-606.

Program Review Panel Information

The CDC requires all CDC-funded agencies using the ARTAS intervention to identify, or establish, and utilize a Program Review Panel and complete Form 0.113 to document this activity. The intervention researchers and developers are not involved in this activity. This is a CDC requirement for their grantees, and all questions in this regard should be directed to your agency's CDC Project Officer or to the health department funding your agency's implementation of the intervention.

The Program Review Panel guidelines, instructions for completion of Form 0.113, and the form itself are available under the Related Links section of this website.

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ARTAS Core Elements

  • Build an effective, working relationship between the Linkage Coordinator and each client
  • Focus on the client’s strengths by:
    a. Conducting a strengths-based assessment
    b. Encouraging each client to identify and use his/her strengths, abilities, and skills to link to medical care and accomplish other goals
  • Facilitate the client’s ability to:
    a. Identify and pursue his/her own goals
    b. Develop a step-by-step plan to accomplish those goals using the ARTAS Session Plan
  • Maintain a client-driven approach by:
    a. Conducting between one and five structured sessions with each client
    b. Conducting active, community-based case management by meeting each client in his/her environment and outside the office, whenever possible
    c. Coordinating and linking each client to available community resources, both formal (e.g., housing agencies, food banks) and informal (e.g., friends, support groups, spiritual groups) based on each client’s needs
    d. Advocating on each client’s behalf, as needed, to link him/her to medical care and/or other needed services