Transitioning HIV-Infected Women After Release From Incarceration: Two Models for Bridging the Gap

Incarceration may be the first opportunity for many women who are HIV-positive to address their health needs while substance free. More importantly, incarcerated HIV-infected persons need to be seen as a part of our community with the time in jail or prison seen as an opportunity to link them to appropriate community resources, comprehensive HIV care, and substance-abuse treatment. Although this is an enormous challenge, it can be met. In this paper, we describe two models that have been successful in providing continuity of care for HIV-infected individuals after release from prison.