Us Helping Us-People Into Living Inc

HEPC FREE: CORRIDOR OF CARE - US HELPING US, PEOPLE INTO LIVING, INC. PROPOSES THE HEPC FREE: CORRIDOR OF CARE, A 3-YEAR, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN HCV ELIMINATION INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE LIVING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, OR CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS ACROSS WASHINGTON, D.C., SUBURBAN MARYLAND, AND BALTIMORE CITY. THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE BISHOP RAINEY CHEEKS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN HARM REDUCTION, WHICH SERVES AS THE INTEGRATED PLATFORM FOR US HELPING US’ HARM REDUCTION SERVICE DELIVERY, TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND POLICY WORK. CORRIDOR OR CARE INTEGRATES LOW-BARRIER, MOBILE-BASED HCV TESTING AND TREATMENT WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND HOUSING STABILIZATION STRATEGIES, BUILDING ON OUR TRUSTED SAMHSA-FUNDED INFRASTRUCTURE. THE TARGET POPULATION INCLUDES PRIMARILY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY, WITH HIGH PREVALENCE OF HCV, OPIOID AND STIMULANT USE, AND UNTREATED CO-OCCURRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. IN YEAR 1, THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON WASHINGTON, D.C. AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MARYLAND, EXPANDING IN YEARS 2 AND 3 TO SERVE BALTIMORE CITY AND THE ADJACENT MD (CORRIDOR) COUNTIES, INCLUDING MONTGOMERY, ANNE ARUNDEL, BALTIMORE, AND HOWARD. SERVICE DELIVERY WILL BE LED BY FOUR EXISTING MOBILE HEALTH UNITS, WHICH WILL DEPLOY PEER NAVIGATORS, A NURSE CARE MANAGER, AND LICENSED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF TO PROVIDE CASE-MANAGED: --POINT-OF-CARE (POC) AND CONFIRMATORY HCV TESTING, INTEGRATED WITH HIV AND SYPHILIS POC TESTING USING NEW TESTING TECHNOLOGIES, IN MOBILE SETTINGS; --SAME-DAY LINKAGE TO HCV TREATMENT AND DIRECT-ACTING ANTIVIRALS; --PEER-LED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TRIAGE AND REFERRALS TO MOUD AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE; --HOUSING AND INSURANCE NAVIGATION SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE; AND --CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. KEY STRATEGIES INCLUDE TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL (E.G., LATE NIGHT, WEEKENDS) MOBILE DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULES; PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SHELTERS, SSPS, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS; AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS TO REDUCE STIGMA AND INCREASE AWARENESS. GOALS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES: THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE CORRIDOR OF CARE INITIATIVE IS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HCV TESTING AND TREATMENT AND REDUCE THE BURDEN OF HCV IN STRUCTURALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT WILL SCREEN AND TREAT A TOTAL OF 180 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS OVER THREE YEARS; 1,000 SCREENED/30 TREATED IN YEAR 1 (TIER 1), 1,330 SCREENED/60 TREATED IN YEAR 2 (TIER 2), AND 1,750 SCREENED/90 TREATED IN YEAR 3 (TIER 2). SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: --INCREASING SAME-DAY HCV TESTING BY 50% IN MOBILE OUTREACH ZONES; --INITIATING HCV TREATMENT WITHIN 3 DAYS OF DIAGNOSIS FOR 90% OF ELIGIBLE CLIENTS; --ACHIEVING SUSTAINED VIROLOGIC RESPONSE (SVR) IN AT LEAST 85% OF TREATED INDIVIDUALS; --ENHANCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MOUD REFERRALS BY 30% ANNUALLY; AND --EXPANDING HCV SERVICES FROM THE D.C. INTO BALTIMORE CITY AND CORRIDOR COUNTIES. HEPC FREE: CORRIDOR OF CARE IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF THE ORGANIZATION’S SAMHSA-FUNDED SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT (FOR ME. FOR YOU. FOR US.) AND HIV PREVENTION (CROSSROADS) PROJECTS DEEPENING ITS CLINICAL FOCUS ON HCV ELIMINATION WHILE ADVANCING REGIONAL COORDINATION.

MULTILEVEL RACISM & DISCRIMINATION AND PREP OUTCOMES AMONG BLACK SMM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. - PROJECT SUMMARY INEQUITIES IN HEALTH MANIFEST AS A RESULT OF SYSTEMIC MINORITY STRESSORS AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES. RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION ARE SALIENT MINORITY STRESSORS AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES FOR BLACK SEXUAL MINORITY MEN (SMM) BECAUSE BLACK SMM ANTICIPATE AND EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION AT DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL LEVELS (INTRAPERSONAL, INTERPERSONAL, AND COMMUNITY) DUE TO THEIR INTERCONNECTED IDENTITIES (E.G., RACE, SEXUAL MINORITY STATUS, HIV STATUS). THESE MULTIPLE EXPOSURES CONCOMITANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED HIV VULNERABILITY AMONG BLACK MSM: 1 IN 2 BLACK SMM WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME, COMPARED TO 1 IN 11 FOR WHITE MSM, IF CURRENT TRENDS REMAIN UNCHANGED. THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO ADAPT TO OR RESIST LIFE'S ADVERSITIES OR STRESSFUL EVENTS (I.E., MINORITY STRENGTHS FRAMEWORK). THUS, AN INTEGRATED MINORITY SOCIAL-STRUCTURAL STRESS AND MINORITY STRENGTHS THEORY MODEL WILL BE TESTED IN THE PROPOSED APPLICATION TO DELINEATE THE MULTILEVEL DISCRIMINATION PREDICTORS OF HIV PREVENTION OUTCOMES, AND UNDERSTAND HOW RESILIENCE MODERATES THESE ASSOCIATIONS. FIRST, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT GREATER ANTICIPATION AND EXPERIENCES OF DISCRIMINATION ARE PREDICTIVE OF INFREQUENT TESTING FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, INCLUDING HIV, AND LOWER PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) USE, RETENTION IN CARE, PREP ADHERENCE, AND PREP PROTECTION OVER A 36-MONTH FOLLOW-UP PERIOD AMONG BLACK MSM IN THE DEEP SOUTH. NEXT, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT DIFFERING LEVELS OF RESILIENCE WILL MODERATE THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DISCRIMINATION AND HIV PREVENTION. FINALLY, WE WILL CONDUCT QUALITATIVE FOCUS GROUPS WITH SOCIAL MAPPING TO VALIDATE THE QUANTITATIVE RESULTS IN AIMS 1&2 AND TO IDENTIFY AND/OR ADAPT EFFECTIVE SOCIAL-STRUCTURAL AND/OR STRENGTHS-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF SRD ON PREP OUTCOMES AMONG BLACK SMM. THREE INTEGRATED SPECIFIC AIMS ARE PROPOSED TO TEST THESE HYPOTHESES. IN SPECIFIC AIM 1, TO EVALUATE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SRD FACTORS AND PREP CONTINUUM OUTCOMES AMONG BLACK SMM IN TWO SOUTHEASTERN U.S. CITIES OVER A 36-MONTH FOLLOW-UP PERIOD, USING MULTILEVEL MODELING TECHNIQUES. IN SPECIFIC AIM 2, TO DETERMINE THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF RESILIENCY FACTORS ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SRD FACTORS AND PREP CONTINUUM OUTCOMES AMONG BLACK SMM IN TWO SOUTHEASTERN U.S. CITIES THROUGH MODERATION ANALYSES. AND FINALLY, IN SPECIFIC AIM 3, TO A. GAIN CONTEXTUALLY-GROUNDED EXPLANATIONS OF THE QUANTITATIVE RESULTS VIA FOCUS GROUPS; B. “GEO-NARRATIVES” OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE OF BLACK SMM USING SOCIAL MAPPING; AND C. SYNTHESIZE THE QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESULTS VIA DATA TRIANGULATION METHODS. BROADLY, THIS RESEARCH WILL ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW SRD DISCRIMINATION CONTRIBUTES TO INEQUITIES IN HIV AND PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THREE LONG-STANDING QUESTIONS IN THE FIELD OF HIV EPIDEMIOLOGY: (1) MINORITY STRESS MECHANISMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO HIV PREVENTION OUTCOMES, (2) INTRAPERSONAL TRAITS THAT BUFFER THE ASSOCIATIONS OF MINORITY STRESSORS WITH HIV PREVENTION, AND (3) IDENTIFICATION AND/OR ADAPTATION OF SOCIAL- STRUCTURAL OR STRENGTHS-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO MITIGATE HIV AMONG BLACK SMM.

HIV PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR YMSM 18-29 DENIM

HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS(HIV) PREVENTION PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITY BASED ORGS

COMPREHENSIVE HIGH-IMPACT HIV PREVENTION PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

FOR ME. FOR YOU. FOR US. - US HELPING US, PEOPLE INTO LIVING, INC. (US HELPING US) SUBMITS THE GRANT APPLICATION ENTITLED, “FOR ME. FOR YOU. FOR US.”, IN RESPONSE TO SAMHSA’S MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE: HIGH RISK POPULATIONS NOFO #TI-23-008 AND SEEKS $500,000 PER YEAR OVER THE FIVE (5) YEAR GRANT PERIOD. US HELPING US OPERATES TWO OFFICE LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA AND HAS AN ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE CONTAINING FOUR COMPLEMENTARY DIVISIONS THAT CREATES AN INTEGRATED COMMUNITY-CLINICAL SERVICES APPROACH FOR THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE, HIV STATUS NEUTRAL SERVICES (SAMHSA LEVEL 5). THE CORE FOUNDATION OF THESE MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SERVICES ARE BASED ON ACTIVE AND CONTINUOUS CLIENT ENGAGEMENT AND ARE BUTTRESSED BY US HELPING US’ CLIENT-CENTERED CARE COORDINATION TEAM. US HELPING US' CORE ACTIVITIES ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE, SPAN THE HIV AND PREP/PEP CONTINUA, AND COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESS THE INEQUITIES IN HEALTH EXPERIENCED BY BLACK GAY, BISEXUAL, MSM, OTHER SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES (E.G., TRANSGENDER WOMEN), PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS, AND PERSONS WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS TO BE SERVED BY FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ARE BLACK MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) AGES 13 AND ABOVE WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV OR ARE VULNERABLE TO HIV, AND WHO LIVE, WORK, WORSHIP, SOCIALIZE, AND AGE IN WASHINGTON DC. US HELPING US WILL UTILIZE THE PEER ASSISTED TREATMENT OF HIV AND SUBSTANCE (PATHS) MODEL AS THE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE (EBP) FOR THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. THIS APPROACH CLOSELY MIRRORS US HELPING US’ CURRENT PEER NAVIGATOR APPROACH. COUPLED WITH THE DOCUMENTED SUCCESS OF THE PATHS MODEL AND US HELPING US’ WIDE ARRAY OF EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, US HELPING US WILL UTILIZE A DYNAMIC MARKETING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY ENTITLED “FOR ME. FOR YOU. FOR US.”. THE NEW “FOR ME. FOR YOU. FOR US.” OUTREACH STRATEGY WILL HIGHLIGHT KNOWING AN INDIVIDUAL’S STATUS (HIV, STI, HEP, SUD, MENTAL HEALTH) AND SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT ADHERENCE AS A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ONESELF (FOR ME.), A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR FRIENDS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS (FOR YOU.), AND AS A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE (FOR US.). US HELPING US WILL EXPAND CURRENT IN-PERSON OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND MOBILIZATION EFFORTS AS WELL AS MEDIA CAMPAIGNS (SOCIAL MEDIA AND RADIO) TO REACH THE POPULATION OF FOCUS WITH MESSAGING. USING PEER NAVIGATORS WITH SIMILAR LIVED EXPERIENCES TO ENGAGE THE POPULATION OF FOCUS AND OFFER TESTING SERVICES IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO REACH INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT OTHERWISE SEEK OUT HEALTHCARE SERVICES OR HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO SUCH SERVICES. THE AVAILABILITY OF IMMEDIATE TESTING OR FOLLOW-UP TESTING OPTIONS THROUGH US HELPING US' MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS OR OFFICE LOCATIONS AS WELL AS HIV SELF-TESTING IN A LOCATION CONVENIENT TO THE POTENTIAL CLIENT PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR TESTING THAT ACCOMMODATE THEIR PRIVACY AND CONVENIENCE PREFERENCES. GOAL: BY THE END OF THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, AT LEAST ONE THOUSAND (1,000) NEW UNDUPLICATED BLACK MSM WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND WHO HAVE HIV OR ARE HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO HIV FROM WASHINGTON DC WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED REDUCED OR ELIMINATED BARRIERS TO ACCESSING HIV, STI, HEPB&C, PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE AND SUD AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, ULTIMATELY ENSURING AT LEAST 25% (250) OF CLIENTS REMAIN ENGAGED IN TREATMENT FOR SIX (6) MONTHS OR MORE, AS APPROPRIATE.

HIV PREVENTION FOR YOUNG BLACK MSM IN THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA

US HELPING US CENTER FOR COORDINATED AND INTEGRATED CARE AND SUPPORTED SERVICES

THE CROSSROADS PROJECT - US HELPING US, PEOPLE INTO LIVING, INC. (US HELPING US), ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST MINORITY AIDS-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC, DEDICATED TO THE HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE OF HIGHLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, RESPECTFULLY SUBMITS THIS FUNDING APPLICATION ENTITLED, THE CROSSROADS PROJECT, IN RESPONSE TO THE FY2022 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HIV PREVENTION NAVIGATOR PROGRAM FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (SHORT TITLE: PREVENTION NAVIGATOR) RELEASED BY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. THE CROSSROADS PROJECT, AN EVIDENCE-BASED, PATIENT NAVIGATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO A SERVE APPROXIMATELY 2,500 UNDUPLICATED WASHINGTON, DC AREA RESIDENTS AND TO ADDRESS THE INTERSECTING EPIDEMICS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) AMONG BLACK, GAY, BISEXUAL, OTHER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM), TRANSWOMEN (TW), AND OTHER LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT STABLE HOUSING. UHU REQUESTS $1,250,000 FOR FIVE YEARS THAT WOULD FUND A PROJECT DIRECTOR (PD), A LEAD PATIENT NAVIGATOR, AND AN EVALUATOR, IN ADDITION TO A REGISTERED NURSE, AND CASE MANAGER, TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF ITS MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT. IF FUNDED, UHU WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SUD COUNSELING THROUGH CONTRACTED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND A PATIENT NAVIGATOR/PEER OUTREACH WORKER TO HELP ENSURE OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE TAILORED TO AND REACH PRIORITY POPULATIONS. BY THE END OF THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, 2,500 BLACK MSM, TW, AND UNSTABLY HOUSED OR UNHOUSED LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASED ACCESS TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES THAT HELP REDUCE THE CO-OCCURRING EPIDEMICS OF HIV, VIRAL HEPATITIS, AND SUD. IN THE U.S., BLACK MSM AND TW AND OTHER RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND SEXUAL MINORITIES ARE AT THE NEXUS OF THE SUD AND HIV EPIDEMICS, AND COMPREHENSIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND SERVICES PROPOSED HEREIN ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. OF NOTE, WASHINGTON, DC, AND THE GREATER SURROUNDS, IS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT GIVEN ITS ESTIMATED 1 IN 13 RISK FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO ACQUIRE HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION (AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, AN ADJACENT SUBURB, HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF NEW INFECTIONS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND). IN ADDITION, 1 IN 2 BLACK MSM ARE LIKELY TO ACQUIRE HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME. OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE, US HELPING US WILL PERFORM PROCESS AND OUTCOME EVALUATIONS, USING A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH CONTAINING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA COLLECTION ELEMENTS, ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE CROSSROADS PROJECT AND WILL DEVELOP A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO ENSURE THE CONTINUANCE OF THE PROJECT BEYOND GRANT FUNDING.

PS04-064 HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS(HIV)PREVENTION PROJECTS FOR CBO

PREP INITIATION AND ADHERENCE AMONG BLACK SMM: A SOCIAL NETWORK-LEVEL INTERVENTION - PROJECT SUMMARY BACKGROUND. THE SOCIAL NETWORKS OF BLACK MEN, INCLUDING BLACK GAY, BISEXUAL AND OTHER BLACK SEXUAL MINORITY MEN (SMM), INFLUENCE THEIR DECISION-MAKING AND HIV-RELATED BEHAVIORS (E.G., CONDOM USE, HIV TESTING). SOCIAL NETWORKING STRATEGIES (SNS) INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT INCREASING HIV TESTING AMONG BLACK SMM WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TESTED AND WITH UNKNOWN HIV STATUS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. (MCCREE ET AL., 2013; BAYTOP ET AL., 2014). A RECENT DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS STUDY AMONG BLACK SMM IN WASHINGTON, DC (CONDUCTED AT US HELPING US) DEMONSTRATED SNS TO BE SUPERIOR TO VENUE TESTING AND PARTNER SERVICES IN RECRUITING MEN THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TESTED (BAYTOP ET AL., 2014). SNS INTERVENTIONS ALSO CIRCUMVENT STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) SUCH AS STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION AND MEDICAL MISTRUST. THE PROPOSED STUDY AIMS ARE TO DESIGN AND OPEN-PHASE PILOT A LOW-INTENSITY, COST-EFFECTIVE SNS INTERVENTION TO INCREASE PREP INITIATION AMONG BLACK SMM. THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE BLACK SMM HAVE THE HIGHEST HIV INCIDENCE IN THE U.S. AND BASED ON CURRENT HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CARE RATES, 50% OF BLACK SMM WILL ACQUIRE HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME COMPARED WITH ~10% OF WHITE SMM AND 25% OF LATINO SMM IMPORTANTLY, THIS HIGHLIGHTS A CRITICAL FAILURE OF THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. THEREFORE, FOCUSED HIV PREVENTION AND SOCIAL NETWORK-BASED INTERVENTION EFFORTS, SUCH AS SNS, ARE WARRANTED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF BLACK SMM. OVERVIEW OF PROJECT. THE FIRST 12 MONTHS (PHASE 1: FORMATIVE RESEARCH) WILL BE AN INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT/ADAPTATION PHASE. USING A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY APPROACH (N=18 AGE- AND PREP USE PROFILE-SPECIFIC FOCUS GROUPS, OF AT LEAST 4-5 PARTICIPANTS EACH, TOTALING 72-90), PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ASKED ABOUT THE SOCIAL NETWORK DYNAMICS AND CHARACTERISTICS (E.G., INFLUENTIAL NETWORK MEMBERS, COMMUNICATION ABOUT PREP AS AN HIV PREVENTION METHOD) THAT INFLUENCED THEIR DECISION TO INITIATE PREP. AMONG PARTICIPANTS WITH NO PREP USE, THEY WILL BE ASKED ABOUT THE ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF TALKING WITH PREP-USING BLACK SMM WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE SOCIAL NETWORK TO SUPPORT INITIATION ALONG WITH PREFERENCES FOR RELEVANT PREP-RELATED INFORMATION FROM PEERS. THE FOLLOWING 12 MONTHS (PHASE 2: OPEN-PHASE PILOT STUDY) WILL INVOLVE CONDUCTING AN OPEN PILOT OF THE SNS INTERVENTION, IN UP TO SIX BATCHES OF UP TO 5 PARTICIPANTS (N=30), ALLOWING FOR FURTHER INTERVENTION REFINEMENT. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO DEMONSTRATE PARTICIPANT FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT NETWORK MEMBERS, FEASIBILITY OF INTERVENTION DELIVERY, AND CHANGES IN PARTICIPANT BEHAVIORS. IT WILL ALLOW FOR FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF ALL STUDY PROCEDURES, REFINEMENT OF INTERVENTION MANUAL, AND PROVIDE PILOT DATA TO SUBMIT AN NIH APPLICATION FOR A LARGER PROSPECTIVE TRIAL. THEREFORE, THE EXPECTED OUTCOME IS A CULTURALLY RELEVANT SNS INTERVENTION TO INCREASE PREP INITIATION AMONG BLACK SMM THROUGH PREP-USING SOCIAL NETWORK MEMBERS.

COMPREHENSIVE HIGH-IMPACT HIV PREVENTION PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

HIV PREVENTION FOR YOUNG BLACK MSM IN THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA