Category Archives: News

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

NIH’s National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) has issued a request for applications (RFA) for research projects on PrEP use among people who use drugs with goals of improving PrEP uptake, management, adherence, and implementation. NIDA seeks to address gaps in our knowledge about PrEP among people who use drugs that can ultimately inform clinical practice, including gaps related to basic clinical research, PrEP performance in people who use drugs, and research to improve implementation practice.

The projects will address a three-fold need: to better understand the effects of substance use on PrEP effectiveness, better inform PrEP implementation among substance users, and fill research gaps regarding the impact of substance use on PrEP management and adherence. Current U.S. Public Health Service PrEP guidelines recommend PrEP for people who inject drugs and mention alcohol and illicit drug use as potential concerns for clinical management. However, only one clinical trial has evaluated PrEP among people who inject drugs, and systematic data regarding the broader use of PrEP among substance users are limited. More systematic data are needed regarding the impact of substance use on PrEP management and adherence, as well as the best ways to deliver PrEP and integrate it with other services.

This RFA is restricted to projects conducted in the United States, although foreign components are permitted where they support domestic research in the United States. Applications are encouraged that propose research in states and counties identified in the U.S. Government’s Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. Work in locales that are not included in the EHE initiative must provide an epidemiologic justification in the application for their inclusion in the research.

Letters of intent are due October 12, 2021, and applications are due November 12, 2021. The maximum project period is 5 years, and the maximum award is $2 million. NIDA anticipates making two to three awards. For more information, read the full RFA.

Friday, July 23, 2021 – UCLA CBAM in collaboration with California Community Foundation (CCF) hosted a COVID-19 Community Summit entitled “Is the Pandemic Over?: What You Need to Know about COVID-19, the Variants and Vaccines” to share the latest information about COVID-19, the variants, and available vaccines for adults and children in South Los Angeles. Moderated by  passionate COVID-19 Project Lead Dilara Üsküp, PhD, PhD, the Community Summit reached over 100 South Los Angeles community members, essential workers, and others interested in learning more about COVID-19.

An expert panel of speakers were featured at the event, including:

1. Cheryl Branch, MS Executive Director, Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches Managing Partner, CRSSLA
2. Eloisa Gonzalez, MD, MPH – Director, Cardiovascular and School Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
3. Nonye Okonkwo, MD, MS – Deputy, Clinical – Operations, COVID-19 Vaccine Program, Kedren Community Health Center
4. Frances Pang, MD – Pediatrician, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group
5. Jesse Clark, MD – Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

During the panel discussion, South Los Angeles community members were encouraged to share their questions and concerns about COVID-19 with our expert panelists. Panelists offered insight on such questions as:

• Is the pandemic over?
• What is the state of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County?
• What do we need to know about COVID-19 vaccines and variants?
• What vaccination information is needed for adults and children?
• How can Los Angeles County engage in community outreach?

Please see a recording of the COVID-19 Community Summit below. If you have any questions, please contact Project Coordinator Damilola Jolayemi, MSc, at ojolayemi@mednet.ucla.edu.

Event Recording:

Additional Material:

PowerPoint: Is the Pandemic Over? - Slides

Evaluation: Please take a moment to quickly complete this brief conference evaluation. The information will help us plan future programs and processes.

Focus group: We are currently conducting focus groups to gather views and opinions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Recruitment is ongoing for community members and clinical providers within South Los Angeles, preferably unaffiliated community members (e.g. teachers, construction workers, essential workers in grocery stores, department stores, gas stations, restaurants and more).

Please share the attached flyer. Interested participants can complete the interest form at https://forms.gle/do92C2dvz8webziu5 and the study team will contact them.

Flyer: Is the Pandemic Over? - Flyer

Resource Guide for Download: COVID-19 Community Resource Guide

Additional Resources:

• The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has developed proactive guidance to help address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) concerns with respect to the operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/there-hvac-guidance-building-and-maintenance-professionals-can-follow-help-protect-covid 
• http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/vaccine/FAQ-Vaccine_ParentsGuardians.pdf
• Contact OSHA to report emergencies, unsafe working conditions, safety and health violations, to file a complaint, or to ask safety and health questions.
  https://www.osha.gov/contactus
• How to Get Vaccinated Residents with disabilities or without computer access can call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm 7 days a week for assistance with appointments. http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/vaccine/index.htm
• Find a Pfizer vaccine provider at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/vaccine/hcwsignup/
• Check out these pop up clinics that are at free community events at parks through the summer – evenings and weekends (walk-ins available). These sites are included in the search option on the “how to get vaccinated” webpage included above. More info here: (https://parks.lacounty.gov/pad/)
• Visit www.vaccinerydes.com for vaccine education videos you can share with your clients, family and friends.
• Visit our website for updates weekly on Testing Sites and Vax Sites. www.crssla.org

This content originally appeared on NIH.gov. View the full article here.

Several HHS agencies have announced new funding opportunities on topics that intersect with HIV prevention, care, and treatment and may be of interest to HIV.gov readers. The funding opportunities cover a variety of topics ranging from surveillance of HIV-related behaviors to minority leadership development.

The Administration for Children & Families Will Award Youth Education Projects on Abstinence, Contraception, Pregnancy Prevention, STIs, and HIV/AIDS. A Total of 38 Awards Will be Granted to Eligible Applicants.

The Administration for Children & Families (ACF) will make awards for projects that educate youth, ages 10–19, on prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS; 30 awards will be granted. Eligible applicants for the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) Competitive Grants include local organizations and entities, including faith-based organizations or consortia for the development and implementation of PREP in states that did not accept FY2010 and FY2011 allocations for State PREP (Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, American Samoa, and Marshall Islands). Applications are due July 15. For more information and to apply.

Separately, ACF’s Tribal Personal Responsibility Education Program for Teen Pregnancy Prevention will make eight awards to Native American tribal organizations and governments to develop and implement projects that educate American Indian/Alaska Native youth, ages 10–19, on abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS. Applications are due July 26. For more information and to apply.

CDC Will Make 30 Awards for Monitoring of HIV-related Behaviors Among Populations at High Risk for HIV Infection. The Funding Will Also Evaluate HIV Prevention Activities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance will make awards with total funding of more than $97 million to support ongoing bio-behavioral surveillance to monitor HIV-related behaviors, detect changes over time in HIV risk behaviors among populations at high-risk for HIV infection, and inform and evaluate HIV prevention activities. This funding, across 30 awards, will aim to fill gaps in knowledge regarding HIV prevention priorities among populations in geographic areas where current data are limited. Eligible applicants include local governments and all U.S. state health departments. Applications are due August 2. For more information and to apply.

The HHS Office of Minority Health Will Award Three Awards for the Minority Leaders Development Program. Eligible Applicants Will Apply to Train Individuals in Health Equity and Leadership.

HHS’ Office of Minority Health will make three awards to any public or private nonprofit entity to develop and implement a fellowship program—the Minority Leaders Development Program (the Program)—to train early-career individuals in health equity issues and leadership to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged populations. The Program aims to enhance necessary skills and competencies for federal leadership among participants through a curriculum focused on health care policy, leadership skill-building, and cultural competence by incorporating fellowship-related work experiences, supplemental learning opportunities, and mentorship. Applications are due August 17. For more information and to apply.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Will Provide Research Grants for Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities

NIH will provide grants for observational research to understand the role of structural racism in causing minority health disparities. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments, small businesses, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education. Letters of Intent, due July 20, are not required but strongly encouraged. For more information and to apply.

This content originally appeared on aplahealth.org on July 2, 2021. View the full article here.

Sacramento, CA – Today, the California State Senate passed SB 306, authored by Senator Dr. Richard Pan, by a vote of 31-7. Passage of the measure, also known as the STI Coverage and Care Act aims to address the sexually transmitted infection (STI) crisis and reduce barriers to STI services and treatment. Specifically, SB 306 would ensure a pathway to STI services for low-income and uninsured LGBTQ+ patients through the Family PACT program, expand access to STI testing and treatment at home and in the community, increase access to STI treatment for patients and their partners, and update state law to increase syphilis screening and testing for pregnant people.

After clearing the Senate, SB 306 is now headed to the Assembly for consideration. In response to the bill’s advancement, co-sponsors APLA Health, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Essential Access Health, Fresno Barrios Unidos, Los Angeles LGBT Center, and San Francisco AIDS Foundation released the following joint statement:

Joint Statement from SB 306 Co-Sponsors
“Today’s vote is an important step for California as the state reckons with its ongoing sexually transmitted infection (STI) crisis. If California seeks to prioritize health equity in our policies and strategies, we must acknowledge STI prevention as an equity issue. Pre-existing structural barriers to STI treatment and care have only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous and people of color, rural regions, California youth, and gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control should serve as a call to action. Rising rates of STIs in California and across the country are the result of a lack of investment in our public health infrastructure at the federal and state levels, and a failure of our public policies to address gaps in STI prevention, testing, and treatment.

“If left undiagnosed and untreated, STIs can lead to long-term health problems including infertility, cancer, blindness and increased risk for contracting HIV.

“SB 306 is the bold action California needs to turn the tide on rising rates. The bill seeks to close gaps in STI coverage and expand the tools and resources that advocates and health providers can use to expand access and improve health outcomes statewide.

“We applaud Dr. Pan for his leadership in introducing this comprehensive and robust approach to STI prevention, and thank Senators who voted in favor of this important measure.

Background
New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have an STI. Long before the COVID-19 public health emergency, STI rates reached historic highs and epidemic proportions in California and nationwide. The STI crisis has been exacerbated during the pandemic with reduced testing and shortages in testing supplies – disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous and people of color, California youth, and gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The CDC estimates that there are approximately 20 million new STI infections each year. California STI rates are among the highest in the nation. Syphilis rates are particularly alarming – between 2015 and 2019, syphilis rates in California rose by 74%, and between 2012 and 2019, congenital syphilis rates nearly quadrupled. If left undetected and untreated, STIs can lead to serious, long-term health problems including infertility, cancer, and blindness. In 2018, more than 329 babies were born with congenital syphilis in California and there were 20 stillbirths associated with the disease. More than 100 babies were born with congenital syphilis in Los Angeles County alone in 2020. The cost of STIs to the U.S. health care system is estimated to be as much as $16 billion annually. Approximately $1 billion is spent annually statewide on health costs associated with STIs.

SB 306 will expand STI coverage and care through the following provisions:

• Ensure a pathway to STI services for low-income and uninsured LGBTQ+ patients through the Family PACT program
• Expand access to STI testing and treatment at home and in the community
• Increase access to STI treatment for patients and their partners
• Update state law to increase syphilis screening and testing for pregnant people.

Full bill text can be found here.

This content originally appeared on CDC.gov. View the full article here.

Dear Colleague,

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), a day to raise awareness about the importance of HIV testing and encourage people to know their HIV status. This year’s theme, My Test, My Way, empowers people to take charge of their health by getting tested for HIV in a way that works best for them—whether that’s with an HIV self-test, in person at a local testing site, or through their health care provider.

CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign has several new testing resources, including a page devoted to self-testing, an NHTD digital toolkit, and a self-testing social media toolkit. Share these resources on social media using the #HIVTestingDay and #StopHIVTogether hashtags. You can join us in promoting the Let’s Stop HIV Together Take Me Home portal , a self-testing program that provides free HIV self-tests for people to use or give away to others. For local HIV testing services, including self-testing, we invite you to encourage everyone to visit CDC’s Get Tested website.

A recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report about HIV testing among people with insurance shows some encouraging trends. HIV testing rates increased among people with private insurance and among those with Medicaid from 2014 to 2019. Furthermore, HIV testing rates were highest among Black/African American people and Hispanic/Latino people—populations disproportionately affected by HIV. While this progress is a sign that we are heading in the right direction, we still have more work to do.

An estimated 1.2 million people have HIV in the United States, and 13% (158,500) don’t know they have the virus. Nearly 40% of new infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have HIV. CDC recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. People with certain risk factors should be tested at least once a year, and sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (for example, every 3 to 6 months). Implementation of CDC’s recommendations for HIV testing in health care settings is needed to diagnose HIV sooner, improve the health of people with HIV, and prevent new infections.

Now is the time to scale-up our HIV testing efforts so that everyone can learn their status and make choices that will keep them healthy. People who get tested and receive a negative test result may benefit from proven prevention options, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). People who receive a positive test result can get access to care and treatment services so they can become virally suppressed, stay healthy, and protect their partners.

Thank you for the vital work you are doing on NHTD and every day. Making HIV testing simple, accessible, affordable, and routine is essential to achieving the goals of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. Your ongoing efforts play a significant role in ensuring equal access to HIV testing for everyone.

/H. Irene Hall/

H. Irene Hall, PhD
Acting Director
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hiv

/Jonathan Mermin/

Jonathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH
Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
Director
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/nchhstp

Friday, June 18, 2021 – Researchers from CHIPTS and Friends Research Institute in collaboration with the AETC Pacific hosted a virtual mini-conference entitled, “Delivery of Telehealth in Clinical Care and Research Interventions: Challenges, Barriers, Successes, and Future Considerations. The mini-conference discussed the challenges and successes of telehealth delivery in clinical care and research settings.

The featured speakers from partnering organizations shared important lessons learned and best practices to reach key populations especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The complete list of speakers and their corresponding presentation slides are provided below.

The telehealth mini-conference was attended by 90 individuals. CHIPTS Combination Prevention Core Director,  Cathy Reback, PhD and Co-Director, Raphael Landovitz, MD, MSc gave the opening remarks, and Brian R. Wood, MD, set the foundation for the conference by providing an informative in-depth presentation around access and equity to telehealth services. Speakers, Miguel Bujanda, MEd, Gifty Maria-Ntim, MD, MPH, and David Solomon, MD presented on a panel discussing experiences and lessons learned from providing telehealth service in the clinical and non-clinical setting. The research panel included Ruanne Barnabas, David Boulware, and Kimberly Kisler, PhD who discussed lessons learned around implementing research interventions during the pandemic. The discussant, Rosemary Veniegas, PhD provided a concise but in-depth summary of the discussion, with an emphasis on future considerations and steps towards achieving equity in healthcare and research studies.

Event agenda: Delivery of Telehealth Mini-Conference - Agenda

Event flyer: Delivery of Telehealth Mini-Conference - Flyer

Event program: Delivery of Telehealth Mini-Conference - Program

Presentations for download:

Keynote Presentation:

Brian R. Wood, MD, University of Washington

Slides:  The Intersection of Telehealth & Health Equity: Risks and Opportunities - Slides

Checklist: [Download not found]

Panel Discussion: Telehealth in Clinical and Non-Clinical Care

1. Miguel Bujanda, MEd, REACH LA

Slides: Non-Clinical CBO Telehealth PrEP Programing - Slides

2. Gifty-Maria J. Ntim, MD, MPH, University of California Los Angeles

Slides: Delivery of Telehealth in UCLA Primary Care Practice - Slides

3. David Solomon, MD, Venice Family Clinic

Slides: Telehealth Experience at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Los Angeles - Slides

Panel Discussion: Telehealth in Research Studies

4. Ruanne V. Barnabas, MBChB, MSc, DPhil, University of Washington

Slides: Hydroxychloroquine for Post-exposure Prophylaxis to Prevent Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection: A Randomized Trial - Slides

5. David R. Boulware, MD, MPH, University of Minnesota

Slides: Running Efficient and Cost-Effective Online Trials Utilizing Patient Reported Outcome - Slides

6. Kimberly A. Kisler, PhD, MPH, California State University Los Angeles

Slides: The Trials and Tribulations of Using Telehealth for Building Brothers Up (2BU) - Slides

 

Event Recording:

This content originally appeared on NIH.gov. View the full article here.

By: NIH News Releases

A clinical trial is underway in five U.S. cities to determine whether delivering integrated health services through mobile clinics can improve HIV and substance use outcomes among people with opioid use disorder who inject drugs. If effective, mobile clinics could serve as an innovative strategy for expanding access to care and providing uninterrupted treatment in this underserved population that addresses the linked public health crises of addiction and HIV.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(link is external), approximately 1 in 10 new HIV diagnoses in the United States are attributed—in whole or in part—to injection drug use. Further, high rates of injection drug use in communities have been linked to HIV outbreaks. While injection drug use is not limited to injecting opioids—a drug class that includes heroin and fentanyl—these drugs have a high rate of use among key populations in this new study. It is expected that nearly all study participants will be injecting opioids at the time of enrollment. Substance use and addiction also can create a disorganizing effect in a person’s life that may make it difficult to take daily medication, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV treatment or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention.

The study aims to address these challenges by providing holistic health services delivered in accessible mobile clinics. These integrated services include safe and effective medication for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine) and overdose reversal (naloxone, or Narcan), syringe services where available, HIV testing, ART for HIV treatment, PrEP for HIV prevention, testing for hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and primary care services. Mobile clinics will be placed in residential areas determined to be accessible for those affected by HIV and who inject opioids. In contrast, many community-based agencies are located throughout downtown and commercial areas that may be difficult for people with limited transportation options to access.

“Too often, lifesaving addiction treatment and HIV care are administered by a patchwork of health professionals under several different roofs, presenting major access challenges for people who use opioids and other drugs,” said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., NIDA Director. “By providing these services through a welcoming one-stop shop, and meeting people where they are, we hope to find a way to more effectively treat people for HIV and substance use disorders.”

The study, known as INTEGRA, or HPTN 094, is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), both parts of the National Institutes of Health. INTEGRA is conducted by the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) at sites in Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

“People are more than their HIV status or addiction diagnosis, yet these factors complicate access to care,” said Steven Shoptaw, Ph.D., INTEGRA protocol chair and director of the Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted access to medical care for so many people. At the same time, the intertwining epidemics of opioid addiction and HIV have continued to take lives. Now is the time to test innovative strategies to connect our most vulnerable populations to effective, integrated care.”

Nabila El-Bassel, Ph.D., university professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work, serves as the INTEGRA protocol co-chair.

The study team aims to enroll 860 participants with opioid use disorder who inject drugs. Equal numbers of participants will be randomly assigned to receive care through either a single mobile clinic or through multiple community-based agencies. The latter group, which reflects the current standard of care, will serve as the control arm of the study.

For 26 weeks, participants in both study arms will receive access to trained peer navigators to help coordinate and facilitate care visits, in which they will be offered routine health services based on needs identified during the initial assessment. At weeks 26 and 52, investigators will evaluate the use of medications for opioid use disorder, rates of viral suppression among participants with HIV, use of PrEP among HIV-negative participants, use of opioids and other substances based on participant self-report and urine screenings, drug overdose events, and new diagnoses of HIV, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), hepatitis C, and bacterial STIs, among other health measures in both groups.

Investigators will also analyze the cost-effectiveness and logistical value of delivering care through mobile clinics compared to community-based agencies. Results from INTEGRA are expected in 2025.

Learn more about HPTN 094/INTEGRA, or “A Vanguard Study of Health Service Delivery in a Mobile Health Delivery Unit to Link Persons who Inject Drugs to Integrated Care and Prevention for Addiction, HIV, HCV and Primary Care,” by visiting ClinicalTrials.gov and using study identifier NCT04804072 and HPTN.org(link is external).

About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.drugabuse.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

On June 5, 2021, CHIPTS commemorates the 40th anniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS and honors HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. We remember the more than 32 million people who have died from HIV worldwide since the start of the HIV epidemic, and reenergize our commitment to the 38 million people currently living with HIV, including long-term survivors like Jeff Taylor. Read Jeff’s reflection on his experiences as a long-term survivor and advocate below.

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

By: Jeff Taylor, Executive Director, HIV+Aging Research Project-Palm Springs

It’s been nearly 35 years since I was diagnosed with HIV. I was infected in 1981 or 1982 before we knew anything about HIV, or how to protect ourselves. When I tested HIV positive in 1988, I was told I had less than two years to live and to “go home and start making arrangements to die.” I was 26 at the time and wasn’t expected to live to be 30, let alone 60.

Today, I advocate for improving the quality of life for older Americans with HIV, who like me have been living with HIV for decades into an old age we never expected to reach. As we grow older with HIV, many of us face new challenges, including both physical and mental health struggles. Now, more than ever, we need help.

For many long-term survivors, HIV is the least of our challenges. Because the virus itself is mostly controlled, many of us are instead faced with managing the related health effects of decades of living with HIV and its treatments, such as an increased risk of an early cancer diagnosis.

For long-term survivors who also struggle with loneliness, depression, and social isolation , these struggles have been made worse by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the stigma of ageism. Forced to manage the personal impact and cost of living with HIV, some long-term survivors have been forced to relocate, and struggle to recreate a sense of community and belonging. Without a strong support system, some turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.

Despite these challenges, there is hope for those with HIV, and many ways that health care providers, community organizations, and individuals can offer support.

Health care providers need to adapt a geriatric model to address the complex needs of older Americans with HIV by extending office visits to allow for managing multiple chronic conditions and health challenges. Providers can also adapt cancer prevention strategies by providing earlier cancer screenings, especially for anal, oral, and head and neck cancers that disproportionately affect older Americans with HIV.

Community organizations need funding to create and fund peer-support programs that empower those with HIV to connect with one another for support, share their challenges, and provide the collective benefits that volunteering has for all those involved. By making long-term survivors part of the solution, they can play a role in outreach and community support of each other—hearkening back to the Denver Principles (PDF, 19KB) of “nothing about us without us.” Community organizations can also collaborate with social workers, to better address their needs and create a support system that offers the types of services that can make the biggest impact on the daily lives of older Americans with HIV. Ideally, HIV service providers need to co-locate clinical and social support services under one roof so that older people with HIV can have seamless care coordination, and don’t fall through the cracks.

National, state, and local governments need to expand their support services to meet the growing needs of older Americans with HIV. As they leave the workforce, or as their work disability expires at age 65, they may need assistance with housing, supplemental income, mental health support, and other essential services. With many current HIV programs focused on prevention and treatment, many older Americans with HIV feel overlooked, which is demoralizing and further compounds their feelings of loneliness and depression. Government agencies should ensure that outreach messages, materials, and campaigns include older Americans with HIV and recognize the role they play in our work if we are to achieve our goal of ending the HIV epidemic.

I and my HHS colleagues want everyone with HIV to know that they are supported, and we want policies, programs, and outreach from health care providers, community organizations, and government agencies that reinforce that message. Those with HIV coping with loneliness or with substance abuse need access to non-judgmental, culturally appropriate, treatment-on-demand using harm reduction models. Even with all the successes in HIV over the years, there are more than one million people with HIV in the United States today, the majority of whom are over 50, and we need help if we are to thrive as we live into an old age we never anticipated.

With the 40th anniversary of the first CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) article identifying what would come to be known as HIV and AIDS, we can celebrate our successes, but we also need to take stock of the challenges and work that remain. Thanks to decades of work by the HIV research community and trial participants – lessons learned from HIV clinical trials helped the medical community quickly develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination. However, many long-term HIV survivors still need our support.

Let us all work together to ensure that long-term HIV survivors feel a sense of belonging, community, and support. Let us be an ally in the journey that lies ahead for those aging with HIV.

The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) held their 2021 HPTN Annual Meeting on May 17, 19, and 21. This year’s event featured a variety of sessions on key HPTN studies, COVID-19, and HPTN’s scientific aims for 2021 and beyond. Drs. Anthony Fauci, Rochelle Walensky, and Rachel Baggaley provided keynote addresses. Participants also had the opportunity to learn from HPTN Scholars, Laboratory Center Researchers, and Data Management Center Researchers during special plenary sessions. Scientific and lay audience members from around the world participated in the virtual event, including investigators, research staff, and community advocates.

To learn more about the meeting’s agenda and presenter schedule, please click here: 2021 HPTN Annual Meeting - Agenda

CHIPTS Director Steve Shoptaw, PhD and CHIPTS Co-Director Raphael J. Landovitz, MD, MSc, were featured investigators at the 2021 HPTN Annual Meeting. Please find copies of their slides below.

Presentation Slides:

Raphael J. Landovitz , MD, MSc – “Long-Acting Injectable CAB vs.. Daily Oral TDF/FTC for PrEP among MSM and TGW”

Slides: Long-acting injectable CAB vs. daily oral TDF/FTC for PrEP among MSM and TGW - Slides

Steve Shoptaw, PhD – “HPTN 094: A Person Centered, Public Health Approach to Address HIV and The U.S. Opioid Crisis”

Slides: HPTN 094: A Person-Centered, Public Health Approach to Address HIV and the U.S. Opioid Crises - Slides

Event Recordings:

The recordings for both the initial day of the 2021 HPTN Annual Meeting that featured Dr. Landovitz and the second day of the meeting that featured Dr. Shoptaw are available below. The event recordings have been interpreted in Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, and Vietnamese to accommodate for language needs.

2021 HPTN Annual Meeting Part 1: First Day – May 17

https://vimeo.com/551245256/bf117108f6

2021 HPTN Annual Meeting Part 2 – Second Day – May 19

https://vimeo.com/552118162/1d02e7e526

To access the original recordings and learn more about the HIV Prevention Trials Network, please visit: https://www.hptn.org/news-and-events/meetings/2021-hptn-annual-meeting

 

 

This content originally appeared on hiv.gov. View the full article here.

On May 28, 2021, the White House published President Biden’s Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2022 (October 1, 2021-September 30, 2022), which includes a request for $670 million for continued implementation of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. A section on investing in public health infrastructure highlights the funding request for the EHE initiative:

Commits to Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic. To help accelerate and strengthen efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, the Budget includes $670 million within HHS to help aggressively reduce new HIV cases while increasing access to treatment, expanding the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, and ensuring equitable access to services and supports.

Details of the $670 million proposed for the EHE initiative are provided in the FY2022 Budget in Brief for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also published on May 28, 2021.EHE is highlighted in the budget overview discussion early in the document:

“The budget provides $670 million across HHS to continue efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by working closely with communities where HIV transmission occurs most frequently to implement effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies, and to address the disproportionate impact of HIV and Hepatitis C infections in Tribal communities. HHS programs have already made major progress in combating this epidemic. HRSA ensures equitable access to services and supports for low-income people with HIV through Health Centers as well as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. In 2019, 88.1 percent of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients were virally suppressed, a record level that exceeds the national average of 64.7 percent. HHS will build on this work to end the epidemic once and for all.”

The budget proposes the following amounts (in millions) by HHS agency for EHE in FY22:

Program	Amount
CDC-support to 57 focus jurisdictions	$275.00
HRSA-Health Centers	$152.00
HRSA-Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program	$190.00
IHS-HIV/HCV Activities	$27.00
NIH-Implementation Research	$26.00
TOTAL-EHE Initiative	$670.00

Congress will now consider this request as it completes the annual federal budget appropriations process.

Read more about funding for the EHE initiative.