| Goal | To  
      prevent transmission of HIV infection through education of employees and  
      patients. | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #1 | Train and  
        maintain cadre of professional staff to conduct HIV transmission and prevention  
        education for patients and conduct pre- and post-test HIV antibody test  
        counseling. | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps |  
        Establish  
          national training program to educate two professional staff from every  
          VA medical center to conduct patient education and pre- and post-test  
          counseling. Maintain  
          on-going training program on limited basis to address turnover of staff  
          and maintain cadre of counselors/patient educators.  | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #2 | Educate  
        and maintain cadre of knowledgeable staff to teach all staff in VA health-care  
        facilities on prevention and transmission of HIV infection. | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps |  
        Develop  
          a national "train the trainer" education program to educate selected  
          staff from every VA Medical Center on how to organize and conduct staff  
          educational activities on HIV transmission and prevention. Update  
          training materials/revise strategies to maintain knowledgeable base  
          of trainers for every facility. | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #3 | Integrate  
        HIV prevention education in addiction treatment programs. | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps | Conduct  
        national training program for professional staff in addiction treatment  
        programs and Vet Centers on how to integrate HIV prevention education  
        for patients in their treatment areas. | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #4 | Stimulate  
        innovative approaches to HIV/AIDS education at the local level (VA Medical  
        Centers and communities). | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps |  
        Award  
          educational demonstration grants to HIV/AIDS education proposals on  
          competitive basis. Facilitate  
          system-wide dissemination of completed projects through annual publication  
          and national quarterly newsletters.  | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #5 | Maintain  
        education and information support systems.  | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps |  
        Continue  
          AIDS awareness and education programs through national system of regional  
          education centers and individual facility programs. Through  
          library system, continue purchase of appropriate private and Federal  
          sector videos, publications, posters, and other materials.  | 
 
    
    | Objective  
      #6 | Prevent  
        transmission of HIV in the health-care setting.  | 
 
    
    | Action  
        Steps |  
        Ensure  
          on-going implementation of CDC recommendations on universal precautions,  
          via policy. Ensure  
          continuing implementation of OSHA rule on protection of health-care  
          workers against bloodborne pathogens via policy. Provide  
          national training program on interdisciplinary team training for staff  
          from infection control, employee health, safety in all VAMCs to implement  
          OSHA rule. | 
 
    
    | Descriptions | Prevention  
        activities including education and universal precautions. | 
 
    
    | Resources  
       | FY95 | FY96 | FY96 | 
 
    
    | $  
        31 million* | $  
        31 million* | $  
        31 million* | 
 
    
    | * Resources  
        for universal precautions and education and are part of the general Medical  
        Care Budget. FY 1995 figures are reported expenditures; FY 1996 and FY  
        1997 are based on the projected number of patients by category or stage  
        of disease and estimated resources required, as reported in the President's  
        budget. | 
 
    
    | PopulationsServed
 | Eligible  
        veterans through local medical centers and facilities, local VA health-care  
        and support staff, veteran patients and families, general public. | 
 
    
    | ConstituencyInvolvement
 | VA medical  
        centers and health-care facilities, and local communities.  |