HAB Information E-mail
Volume 12, Issue 17
August 13, 2009

HRSA/HAB News

• 2009 Ryan White Clinical Conference: October 15-17
• NASTAD Team to Expand TA to ADAPs
• HRSA CAREAction: Methamphetamine and HIV
• CAREWare Webcast Trainings Set for August
• SPNS Updates on Reaching HIV-infected Young MSM of Color
• HIT Workshop on Measuring Success in HIV Care: September 3-4, St. Pete, FL
• Acute HIV Infection Quick Reference
• Updated ARV Reference Charts
• GAO on Estimated Effect of Proposed Stop-Loss Provision on Urban Areas

Other News

• H1N1 Preparedness and HIV Webinar: September 2
• Report Inventories HIV Prevention Effort
• WHO Explores Preventing HIV Transmission with ART

HRSA/HAB News

2009 Ryan White Clinical Conference: October 15-17
The Clinical Conference for Ryan White grantees will take place October 15-17, 2009 in Dallas, with a full slate of sessions on HIV treatment issues and current strategies in HIV medical care.  Registration is open to those prescribers (physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other direct clinical decision makers) who are actively involved in HIV care in RW Program-funded clinics.  The conference offers a 2.5-day Continuing Medical Education (CME) program and has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.

There are a limited number of seats available and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.  The registration deadline for the conference is October 2.  The registration deadline for a hotel room is September 22.

The conference is supported by HRSA/HAB and is being planned collaboratively by HRSA/HAB staff and the HRSA/HAB-funded Southeast AIDS Training and Education Center (SEATEC).  This CME program is sponsored by the International AIDS Society-USA (IAS-USA).

For questions regarding the conference, contact IAS–USA at 415/544-9400 or < rwprogram2009@iasusa.org >.

Registration forms and additional information on the meeting, including the preliminary agenda, allowable meeting and travel costs for RW Program grantees, hotel reservations, continuing education credits, and more are available.

(Not a US Government Website)

See past Ryan White clinical conference materials at the TARGET Center’s TA Library by searching under “Clinical Update”.

(Not a US Government Website)

NASTAD Team to Expand TA to ADAPs
Under the terms of a HRSA/HAB cooperative agreement, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) is working in partnership with the National Quality Center (NQC) to provide technical assistance on quality management to ADAPs.  The objectives for this initiative include:

·         Creating online Quality Academy tutorials for ADAPs to build their capacity for quality improvement;
·         Strengthening the quality management infrastructure of ADAPs via face-to-face site visits and individual, state-specific conference calls and email exchanges;
·         Sharing ADAP-specific clinical performance measures with all ADAP coordinators via national conference calls; and
·         Supporting ADAPs in their quality improvement efforts.

To request technical assistance, ADAP representatives should contact the NASTAD Program Coordinator at< bcrutsinger-perry@nastad.org > or 202/434-8042.

HRSA CAREAction: Methamphetamine and HIV
Learn about the magnitude of methamphetamine use in the United States and providers’ strategies for treating HIV-infected meth users in the June 2009 issue of HRSA CAREAction.  This issue also outlines AETC resources and materials from SAMHSA and others on confronting meth use.  View this issue.

CAREWare Webcast Trainings Set for August
Spend the dog days of summer honing your CAREWare skills!  Two CAREWare webcast trainings are scheduled for the last two weeks of August.  Each training will be repeated once.  Please register for only the initial broadcast or the re-broadcast.

August 18, 2:00 pm ET: Entering RSR data in CAREWare and exporting the RSR client-level file (re-broadcast August 27, 2:00 pm ET)

August 20, 2:00 pm ET: Fundamentals of CAREWare setup, including contracts, subservices, user management, and clinical information (re-broadcast August 25, 2:00 pm ET)

The two sessions are conducted by experienced CAREWare users, Becki Bishop (Michigan) and Kim Lawton (Northern California).

To register:
(Not a US Government Website)

SPNS Updates on Reaching HIV-infected Young MSM of Color
View slides from a July 2009 meeting of Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) grantees exploring innovations in outreach, care, and prevention efforts to engage HIV-infected young MSM of color in care.  The meeting was convened by the GWU YES Center, which is funded by HRSA/HAB to provide technical assistance, training, guidance, and evaluative services to eight SPNS demonstration sites.  To view the presentations for each of the eight programs look under “Site of the Month” on the TARGET Center homepage
(Not a US Government Website)

HIT Workshop on Measuring Success in HIV Care: September 3-4, St. Pete, FL
A Health Information Technology (HIT) workshop for Ryan White grantees will explore how to measure success in HIV care.  The September 3-4 session in St. Petersburg, Florida will cover such topics as stakeholder engagement, systems readiness, use of client-level data, and patient feedback.  Limited scholarships are available.  The workshop is hosted by the City of Paterson, Ryan White Grants Division (RWO), a HRSA/HAB grantee located in northern New Jersey.

For more information
(Not a US Government Website)

Information is also available at:
(Not a US Government Website)

Acute HIV Infection Quick Reference
This pocket-sized tool for clinicians covers risk assessment, common signs/symptoms, testing, referral, and treatment considerations.  It includes clinical images of acute HIV infection.  This tool, developed by the HRSA/HAB-supported Mountain Plains AETC, is featured as a Tool of the Month on the TARGET Center at:
(Not a US Government Website)

Clinicians should also refer to HHS clinical guidelines, available at:

Updated ARV Reference Charts
Revised ARV reference charts, developed by the HRSA/HAB-supported AETC National Resource Center and the UCSF Center for HIV Information, are now available.  Topics include:

• Adverse effects of antiretroviral drugs;
• Dosage adjustments for ARV-ARV drug interactions;
• Dosing for retonavir-boosted protease inhibitors; and
• Dosing of antiretroviral drugs in adults with renal insufficiency and hemodialysis.

 View the reference charts
(Not a US Government Website)

Also access HHS clinical guidelines, including a series of tables on adverse events, drug interactions, and dosing issues.  These tables are updated frequently by the guidelines panel.

GAO on Estimated Effect of Proposed Stop-Loss Provisions in Urban Areas
In response to a Congressional request, GAO conducted a study to estimate the effect of a stop-loss provision on Ryan White Part A funding as contained in H.R. 3293.  GAO also developed an estimate of such funding without that provision.  GAO used data from HHS, H.R. 3293, and the report of the House Committee on Appropriations accompanying H.R. 3293 to estimate these amounts.

See the report:

Other News

H1N1 Preparedness and HIV Webinar: September 2
A webinar for Federal staff and grantees who serve people living with HIV/AIDS will be held September 2, 2009, 2:00 – 2:45 pm ET.  Join experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and HIV grantees to hear an update on H1N1 preparedness, especially as it applies to people living with HIV/AIDS.

The registration deadline is August 28.  For more information contact < contact@aids.gov >.

To register

Report Inventories HIV Prevention Effort
The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report designed to provide a comprehensive inventory of HIV prevention efforts at the state and local levels and offers a baseline picture of how HIV prevention services are delivered.  It is based on a survey of 65 state health departments, including all state and territorial jurisdictions and six U.S. cities.  View the report
(Not a US Government Website)

WHO Explores Preventing HIV Transmission with ART
A recent bulletin from the World Health Organization (WHO) addresses preventing HIV transmission with antiretroviral therapy (ART).  The article points out that while there is little doubt that ART has preventive effects, “…what is uncertain is how best to apply it and combine it with other evidence-based prevention interventions for maximal synergy and benefit.” 

In response, WHO will organize a consultation in late 2009 to examine research priorities, operational considerations, and ethical and human rights concerns around the use of ART for HIV prevention.
(Not a US Government Website)

In addition to the resources listed above, don’t forget to check out these other HAB resources, which are updated regularly.

TARGET Center, Central Source for Ryan White TA:

(Not a US Government Website)