Linkage to Care
Connecting HIV-infected individuals to HIV care
and treatment services for the first time

Many patients are lost in the steps between initial diagnosis of HIV infection and their enrollment into care due to lack of knowledge about available services, lack of readiness to initiate treatment, fear of stigma, and many other reasons. The purpose of the Linkage Expert (LE) program is to track these patients from initial diagnosis to enrollment into HIV services, and for those who do not initiate ART, to provide home and phone-based follow-up.

Download Linkage to Care Materials

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Standard Operating Procedure Summary

Featured Case Studies

• Linkage Expert Poster
• Linkage Expert Counselling Tool

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Tools and Forms

Linkage Expert Program Workshop Package: This workshop is designed for those implementing the Linkage Expert program along with its corresponding tools (Linkage Register and Client Tracing Tools). The workshop tools include an agenda, PowerPoint presentation, a M&E practice handout, implementation guide and an exam.
 
Linkage Expert Register and Monthly Report:  These tools are used in the monitoring and evaluation of the Linkage Expert program. The register can be used by HDAs and CHWs to track patients from identification until their enrollment into care and treatment services. The monthly report helps to summarize and report on key indicators. These tools were originally designed using Malawi’s HIV/ART Guidelines and should be adapted and further simplified based on individual countries’ goals and guidelines. 
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Linkage Expert Counselling Tool: This portable counselling tool serves as a guide to prompt the Linkage Expert (LE) on the most important points about starting ART during their initial counselling session. The tool also contains quick guides for counseling PMTCT mothers, non-compliant patients and caregivers of children living with HIV. 
 
Linkage Expert Poster: This sample of a Linkage Expert poster provides the name and phone number of the LE focal person or CHW team. These posters can be hung up around the health facility to remind health care providers of LE services and to facilitate referrals.

Client Tracing Tools: These tools are designed to support the CHW to organize and report on client tracing efforts, regardless of the reason for tracing. The Client Tracing Form provides a document to record the client’s locator information, tracing attempts and final tracing outcome. The CHW Client Tracing List helps the CHW manage and track all his/her clients that require tracing and their current tracing status.
 
Community Health Worker Training Curriculum: This curriculum is designed to provide CHWs with the knowledge needed to perform any activity in this toolkit. It is recommended that all CHWs receive the full training. If that is not possible, it is recommended to specifically look at: Unit 2: Overview of HIV Prevention, Unit 3: HIV Signs and Symptoms, and Unit 4: HIV Diagnosis.
 
HIV Diagnostic Assistant (HDA) Training: This curriculum is designed to provide HDAs with the knowledge to implement and support key HIV services, including provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) and linkage to HIV care and treatment.