ARCS' Prison Services Program has been in existence since 1989. In 1991 ARCS began working with correctional facilities to develop the Prisoners for AIDS Counseling and Education Program (PACE). Over the past ten years the program has been extremely successful and has been duplicated in nine correctional facilities in the Mid-Hudson Region of New York State: Fishkill, Shawangunk, Mid-Orange, Woodbourne, Greenhaven, Sullivan, Otisville Eastern and Walkill Correctional Facilities. Requests for information about the program come in from all over the country. It is a proven model and the most effective way to do HIV/AIDS prevention education in a prison setting.

PACE inmate peer educators and counselors provide HIV/AIDS general education to various inmate groups at each facility and provide referrals, advocacy, counseling and support for inmates who are HIV infected. ARCS Prison Services Associate (PSA) trains peer educators using the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute two day Pre and Post test Counseling Course and the four day Criminal Justice Peer Education course.

Inmates are recruited from the general population. They must have successfully completed the HIV/AIDS general education series done by PACE peers and must meet eligibility criteria set forth by the PACE Program and the correctional facility where they are housed. If eligible they must fill out an application and agree to be interviewed.

Once approved, they must successfully complete their peer education training. After completing the training, they buddy with an experienced PACE peer and begin doing educational presentations for inmates. They are monitored by the PSA and at monthly meetings receive feedback about their presentation skills and updates to increase their knowledge base. In addition, the PSA does specialized trainings on such topics as "Platform Skills", "Treatment Protocols", STD's, Domestic Violence etc. The PSA also provides PACE peers with resource materials in English and Spanish, transparencies and subscriptions to HIV/AIDS publications which they use to enhance their educational presentations.

ARCS' PSA also meets monthly with corrections staff and administration in each facility to ensure that HIV/AIDS issues for inmates are being addressed and to ensure that the program is running efficiently. Whenever possible our PSA provides specialized trainings on Confidentiality, Medical Treatments, STD Prevention and other topics for staff.

For more information on ARCS' Prison Services program or PACE, please call our Newburgh office.