Five Horizons staff participate in numerous funded research projects intended to develop and facilitate cutting-edge programs for the clients and to the community at-large.
Current Projects
Dr. Billy Kirkpatrick of Five Horizons Health Services, along with Dr. Safiya George of The University of Alabama's Capstone College of Nursing and Dr. George Mugoya of The University of Alabama’s Department of Educational Studies, Research Methodology and Counseling, were selected as Fellows for the inaugural Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program (IRL). IRL is a national program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to equip teams of researchers and on-the-ground change agents with advanced leadership skills and a clear focus on health and equity, allowing them to apply health research and policy to meet the pressing needs of communities. This team will assess the health impact of affordable housing programs and case management on individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The team will also conduct a program evaluation of a statewide advocacy program for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Alabama.
Five Horizons collaborates with Dr. Bronwen Lichtenstein (The University of Alabama, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice) on a program that provides HIV/Hepatitis C education and testing for parolees and probationers at the Tuscaloosa County Probation Department. The start-up for the program was funded by the Alabama Department of Public Health, and funding for continuation and expansion has been provided by the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Five Horizons, in collaboration with Dr. Safiya George and Dr. George Mugoya, implements a project funded by the Research Grants Council of The University of Alabama. The project, Multilevel Strategies to Improve HIV Care in West Alabama, provides mental health and substance abuse counseling for individuals living with HIV. In-person sessions are facilitated in the Five Horizons office in Tuscaloosa. Sessions for rural clients are facilitated via telemedicine equipment, thereby allowing clients to receive these services without traveling long distances.