American Journal of Health Studies: 22(2) 2007 THE SAVED SISTA PROJECT: A FAITH-BASED HIV PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR BLACK WOMEN IN ADDICTION RECOVERY

Abstract: HIV/AIDS as well as substance use disorders continue to devastate the African American community. Black women have the highest rate of new HIV infections among all groups of American women, with more than twice the prevalence rate of white or Hispanic women. Substance use and its correlation to HIV is well documented, particularly within America's urban setting. As a result, multiple approaches to reducing HIV infection among inner-city substance users have been developed and operationalized. The SAVED SISTA Project, a program of Recovery Consultants of Atlanta. Inc.. is a faith-based adaptation of the evidence based intervention "Sisters Informing Sisters About Topics On AIDS (SISTA). " Its goal is to reduce HTV-infection and high risk behaviors among Atlanta's homeless female drug using population, utilizing the black church as a key component in this process. A ^ o r e than twenty-five years into the HIV / uting to HIV, HCV, and sexually transmitted infec-JLVxAIDS epidemic, prevention models utiliz- tions (STI) among substance users and their drug ing peer educators are still proving to be effective in- and sex sharing partners (NIDA, 2006). This article tervention strategies, incessantly promoting healthy discusses the implementation of a faith-based HIV behaviors, practices and lifestyles, leading to a reduc- prevention and peer-led addiction recovery mode