JRI Health’s Peer Support Services program helps people living with HIV as well as individuals who are HIV-negative but are impacted by the disease, by providing peer-led social support activities including support groups for HIV+ young adults in their twenties, HIV+ gay and bisexual men thirty years and older, and HIV+ women and prenatally infected youth.

The TICKET Program

This program is for adolescent HIV+ individuals who want to tutor and mentor younger HIV+ individuals. Mentors are required to create and stick to educational and medical adherence goals. The mentors are taught life skills and become employees of JRI Health. This program is a collaborative partnership between JRI Health and the SPARK Center at Boston Medical Center.

Thrive Monday

Thrive Monday is a monthly social and educational event for people living with HIV as well as individuals who are HIV-negative but are impacted by the disease. The event is held at Club Café in the South End of Boston. Free dinner and an HIV-focused educational forum are provided at the beginning of the evening, followed by music, raffles and social time.

Peer Support Groups

The Peer Support Groups provide a forum for people to come together and talk about HIV. New members must meet with program staff and a volunteer facilitator before joining a group. All facilitators are volunteers living with HIV. The groups that meet multiple times a month include the following:

• Poz 20s – Men and women with HIV who are in their 20s
• Positive Crossroads – Men and women with HIV who have a history of substance abuse
• Long Term Survivors Group – Men living with HIV for 10+ years
• Men Living Positively and HIV Support Group for Men – Groups for HIV+ men

HIV+ Direct Services Networking Breakfast

The Networking Breakfast is a group for direct care service providers, housing advocates, nurses, physicians, mental health clinicians and others that meets once a month at rotating HIV/AIDS service organizations. A presentation by the hosting organization on its programs and services is followed by agency updates and networking.

Peer Client Advocacy

This program is designed for individuals with HIV to work with one another to improve health outcomes, strengthen advocacy skills, stay linked to care and access health education including counseling on risk reduction. Program participants also provide emotional support and crisis intervention to their peers.

Contact Information

John Ruiz, Director of Peer Support Services
Peer Support Services
JRI Health
25 West Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
617.457.8142 ext. 2411
jruiz@jri.org