Pediatric, Youth and Family HIV Program

Connecticut Children’s and UConn Health’s Pediatric, Youth and Family HIV Program is comprised of a multidisciplinary team that provides comprehensive specialty infectious disease medical and preventative care for  children, youth, women and families living with, affected by and/or at risk for HIV. Our primary mission is to assist   children, youth, and women affected by HIV to be as healthy as possible and at the same time to prevent HIV transmission and acquisition in the people we serve.  Our program is directly linked to other medical services as well as to psychosocial support and prevention education.

In efforts to ensure youth have increased awareness and access to preventative resources, our program offers the following evidence-based interventions:

  • Hartford Youth HIV Identification and Linkage Consortium (HYHIL)
  • Health Interactive Project (HIP)
  • Hepatitis C and other Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevention
  • Peer to Peer (Women) Psychosocial Groups
  • Routine HIV Testing and Self/Home HIV Testing
  • Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Navigation Services
  • Housing Stabilization Program
  • Peer Navigation Services (Mentoring)
  • Youth Recovery Groups

Rapid HIV screenings are offered to anyone 13 years of age and older by a qualified trained counselor. All HIV screenings administered are confidential and include risk reduction, education and referral to medical care services or community resources. At home self-HIV testing is also available.  

The Hartford Youth HIV Identification and Linkage Consortium (HYHIL) is a collaborative network of community based agencies, medical providers, youth representatives and others working together to prevent the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth through interactive prevention education, community engagement and outreach, and youth friendly HIV/STD screenings.  HYHIL also assures a seamless linkage to community resources, medical care services and employment services for youth and young adults.

This program offers comprehensive medical case management services for women, infants, children and youth affected by HIV through coordination of medical services through psychosocial assessments, client-centered treatment plans and a seamless system of referral to other medical specialties and to community resources.

These monthly peer-driven support groups are for adolescent females and adult women living with HIV who are interested in self-improvement, learning how to live a healthy lifestyle, making informed decisions about their physical and emotional health, and in building a stronger and more effective support system. The Peer to Peer psychosocial groups are delivered in a fun, confidential and respectful environment where group participants can talk openly about the challenges of living with HIV/AIDS, as well as share achievements and success stories.

PrEP navigation services assist youth and adults to know their HIV status through HIV testing and linkage to medical care or to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a once a day pill that HIV negative individuals can take (through medical prescription) to prevent HIV infection. Individuals enrolled in PrEP navigation services receive quality care by an infectious disease specialist and support by a PrEP navigation specialist.

The SMART Recovery Youth Group is a science-based program that helps youth manage their recovery from addictive behaviors. The support group offers a safe and non-threatening supportive learning environment that fosters mutual aid and supports members’ psychosocial needs. 

The Health Interactive Project (HIP) is an interactive prevention education project designed to increase awareness of (unhealthy) behaviors that may put youth at risk for HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), teen pregnancy, bullying, substance use, intimate partner violence, car crashes due to texting & driving, among other concerns. HIP reinforces and complements HIV and STD educational activities provided through health classes in public schools. HIP activities include educational sessions with hands-on activities and uses drama, humor, audience interaction, and improvisation in its interactive theater to inform and educate. HIP also provides one-on-one education and counseling sessions that include voluntary, confidential HIV screenings by trained professional staff.

Our Team

Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP
Physician-in-Chief
Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs 
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Ian C. Michelow, MD, FCPaed
Division Head, Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Hassan El Chebib, MD, FAAP
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Henry M. Feder, Jr., MD
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Melissa Held, MD
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Ashley C. Howard, DO, FAAP
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Grace H. Hong, APRN
APRN, Infectious Disease and Immunology
860.545.9490
Practice Name: Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group
Specialties: Infectious Diseases & Immunology

Danielle Warren-Dias Program Director  860.466.9685 |  dwarren [at] uchc.edu (Email)

Nilda Fernandez Program Supervisor  860.466.0818 |  fernandez [at] uchc.edu (Email)

Gail Karas, RN, BSN HIV Clinical Coordinator

Ryan Manthey, RN Registered Nurse

Myrna Millett-Saez Community Health Specialist  860.578.7327 |  mmillett [at] connecticutchildrens.org (Email)

Consuelo Munoz Community Health Worker  860.578.7325 |  cmunoz [at] uchc.edu (Email)

Angel Ruiz Community Health Worker  860.578.7326  |  aruiz [at] uchc.edu (Email)