LFA conducted a needs assessment for the Family Care Network, a consortium of ten agencies that work together to provide comprehensive medical and social support services to women, youth, children, parents and families who are affected by HIV/AIDS in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The purpose of the needs assessment was to assess the level of need for services; determine areas in which the FCN has been successful in meeting its constituents' needs; and identify areas where the FCN can grow. LFA presented findings to the FCN Planning Conference and also provided information that was used in FCN's application for Ryan White Title IV CARE Act funding.

The Family Care Network, a consortium of ten agencies that work together to provide comprehensive medical and social support services to women, youth, children, parents and families who are affected by HIV/AIDS in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties is in the second year of a three-year capacity-building project. The Family Care Network Substance Abuse and Mental Health Capacity-Building Project aims to train, support, and empower service providers to assess and refer their clients for needed substance abuse and mental health services. The project employs a variety of strategies, including training, tools, and a learning community. LFA’s evaluation of this capacity-building project will involve four levels of analysis: 1) provider self-efficacy in assessing and referring their clients for substance abuse and mental health-related needs; 2) systems changes through a learning community of providers involved in the Family Care Network and HIV ACCESS; 3) client experience assessing any changes they have experienced with their providers that resulted in access to and use of needed substance abuse and/or mental health services; and 4) Quality Management indicators tracking to review trends that might reflect change in provider behavior with respect to assessment and referral for substance abuse and mental health services.