PATHS - Bay Area First Step

PATHS is an intervention developed by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in collaboration with partners. Peer support specialists with lived experience assist people who use drugs to access telemedicine for hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV treatment and prevention, substance use disorder treatment, and mental health care.

OHSU clinicians provide streamlined, low-barrier access to care.

PEER SERVICES

with clients
every step of the way

Reduced Delays

Streamlined lab orders designed to minimize participant burden
Same-day unscheduled telemedicine clinician visits ("walk-ins")

Reduced Barriers

Peers facilitate telemedicine visits, including bringing technology to participants
Medication lockers if participant does not have stable housing

Peer Support

Assistance with medication reminders, pickup, and adherence
Calling, texting, and going out to locate participants to maintain contact
Assistance with daily life needs, resources, and prevention tools

HOW PATHS WORKS

What Clients Connect To

Same-Day Screening & Testing

HIV, HCV, syphilis antibody and diagnostic tests; substance use/mental health disorder screening

Telemedicine Care

Insurance enrollment, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, treatment for HIV/HCV/STIs, medications for opioid use disorder, mental health treatment

Patient Data Tracking

Local Resources & Care

Basic Needs
Housing
Disease Testing
Behavioral Health Care
Social, Recovery, Cultural Supports

Peer Services Include

Outreach
Socioemotional and informational support
Practical support (e.g., telemedicine facilitation)

STUDY RESULTS

The initial HCV-focused PATHS model was tested in a National Institutes of Health-funded randomized controlled trial (N = 203). The peer TeleHCV model demonstrated significantly greater impact on HCV treatment initiation and cure than the community referral approach.

Participants started HCV meds within 6 months

Peer TeleHCV 85%

Community Referral 13%

Participants cleared HCV

Peer TeleHCV 63%

Community Referral 16%

[My peer] always found me one way or another. If she couldn't reach me by phone, she would come to my [parents'] house. No matter what it took for her to track me down, she always did. She didn't just stop at one spot because she wasn't able to get a hold of me. She never gave up.

PATHS EXPANSION

Through a 2025-2028 SAMHSA grant, PATHS will implement same-day testing in 6 demonstration sites around the state and add same-day telemedicine for HIV, opioid use disorder medication, and mental health treatment, followed by bridge to local ongoing care.

PEER SPECIALISTS CAN CONFIRM A DIAGNOSIS AND CONNECT YOU WITH A DOCTOR TODAY!

For PATHS Questions

Rolin Block

(541) 600-3227 [email protected]

For PATHS Peer Support

Jack White

(541) 851-7151 [email protected]

Want a printable version of this information?

Download PATHS Brochure

Funded through OHA's SAMHSA State Opioid Response Grant #H79TI085732 and OHSU's SAMHSA Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot Grant #H79TI088366

[email protected]