In October, 2019, the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) received $628,000 in Ending the Epidemic grant funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The NIH awarded the grants through a competitive application and review process, funding the following studies. We’ll hear brief presentations from each of the grant recipients!
Hong-Ha Truong, PhD: Enhancing Partner Notification for Newly-Diagnosed, Sexually Active High Risk MSM
A study of the feasibility and acceptability of partner elicitation at point-of-testing to enhance HIV partner notification services (PNS). Community Partners: Gay Men’s Health Collective (GMHC), Berkeley Free Clinic
Location: Alameda County and Bay Area.
Jae Sevelius, PhD: Ending the HIV Epidemic among transgender people: Community-led program implementation.
A study of the feasibility and acceptability of integrating HIV treatment and care service with peer navigation and mental health services to the TRIUMPH model. TRIUMPH is a gender-affirming, community-led PrEP demonstration project for transgender communities. Community Partners: La Clinica de la Raza, Oakland; Gender Health Center, Sacramento. Location: Oakland, Sacramento.
Greg Rebchook, PhD: Increasing Effective PrEP use by Black and Latino MSM in Texas
A study to systematically adapt, with Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Mpowerment Project methods to improve PrEP uptake, adherence, and persistence including community mobilization, peer outreach, and outreach events. The Mpowerment Project is a multi-level, combination HIV prevention intervention for young adult gay, bisexual, and other MSM. Community Partners: AIDS Outreach Center, AIDS Services Austin, Kind Clinics. Location: Ft. Worth (Tarrant County), Austin (Travis County), and San Antonino (Bexar County) Texas.
Kim Koester, PhD: Adapting a Sexual Health Services Model for Young Men of Color in Sacramento, California
This is a collaboration between community members and service providers involved in Sacramento’s Zero Together Coalition and researchers from the University of California San Francisco to identify how to best culturally tailor a proven-effective sexual health services delivery model called CRUSH: Connecting Resources for Urban Sexual Health to better meet the needs of men who have sex with men most impacted by HIV in Sacramento County. CRUSH is an HIV serostatus-neutral sexual health services model with a primary focus on PrEP services. Location of Study. Sacramento County.
“If we want to reach our goal of ending the HIV epidemic, it is clear that the extraordinary progress that has been made in HIV prevention research over the last three decades must continue. We are committed to research that addresses this need; is community-engaged through the use of our Community Advisory Board (CAB); and, is broadly disseminated and implemented among those who could most benefit from the research.” – Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD PRC/CAPS - UCSF Director.