• ADAP Technical Assistance Briefs Focus on Cost Containment Strategies
• Newsletter Addresses Involvement of Peers in HIV Care
• Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Glossary of Terms
• Case Studies Feature Peer Support for Caribbeaners with HIV
• Funds for Health Information Technologies: Application Deadline March 28

OTHER NEWS

• Funds for Substance Abuse Treatment for People of Color Living with HIV/AIDS: Application Deadline March 27
• Adult Antiretroviral Treatment Guidelines Updated
• Satellite Videoconference on Rapid Testing/Diagnosing of Acute HIV Infection: April 16, 12:30-2:30 ET
• National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: February 7
• Black Church Week of Prayer, March 2-8

HRSA/HAB NEWS

ADAP Technical Assistance Briefs Focus on Cost Containment Strategies
Four new technical assistance briefs on AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) are now available from the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), as part of its cooperative agreement with HRSA/HAB’s Division of Training and Technical Assistance. The briefs are intended to provide ADAP coordinators with detailed programmatic options when considering particular cost containment strategies. State specific examples, as well as project checklists are included in each brief. Topics covered by the briefs include: eligibility criteria options; formulary management; managing prescription utilization; and waiting list management. To view the briefs go to the TARGET Center TA Library and search using the terms “NASTAD” or “ADAP”:

Newsletter Addresses Involvement of Peers in HIV Care
The Peer Education and Evaluation Resource (PEER) Center promotes the capacity of HIV service providers to train and employ HIV-infected peers in an effort to promote engagement and retention in HIV care, particularly within communities of color. The first issue of the PEER Center Newsletter is now available. The issue includes information about the initiative and profiles of the various partners involved.

The PEER Center is funded by HRSA/HAB’s Division of Training and Technical Assistance as part of the Minority AIDS Initiative. It supports and evaluates the work of three Peer Education Training Sites (PETS): the Lotus Project (the Center for Health Training and Women Organized to Respond to Life Threatening Diseases) in Oakland, CA, PACT Project (Harlem Hospital) in New York, NY, and the People to People Project (American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter, the KC Free Health Clinic and the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center) in Kansas City, MO. The PETS programs enhance peer educator services through capacity building and technical assistance to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantees, clinics, AIDS service organizations and other training organizations that want to develop and expand peer programs. Resources that will be made available through the PEER Center include training curricula, capacity-building tools, web-training, resources for peer program managers and supervisors, and regional and national training events. The PEER Center is a collaboration between the Health and Disability Working Group (HDWG) at Boston University's School of Public Health (BUSPH) and the Justice Resource Institute's Center for Training and Professional Development (JRI Center - CPTD).

New at the TARGET Center: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Glossary of Common Terms
The glossary includes a broad range of terms related to the provision of HIV care and service delivery by Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantees. This tool can assist grantee staff, policy makers, planning council/committee members and others in “speaking the same language.”

http://www.careacttarget.org/library/glossary/glossary.htm

Case Studies Feature Peer Support for Caribbeaners with HIV
A new case study report outlines the work of five sites funded under Ryan White to examine the effectiveness of models of peer support for Caribbean immigrants living with HIV residing in the United States. Each case study examines such issues as the design of programs as well as implementation issues like timing of activities, teamwork, and client enrollment. The sites were funded under the SPNS Program, the research and demonstration grant component of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

Access the report by searching under “Peers” or “Caribbeans” at the TARGET Center TA Library at:

Funds for Health Information Technologies: Application Deadline March 28
HRSA is providing funds to implement health information technologies (HIT) other than electronic prescribing, physician order entry, personal health records, community health records, health information exchanges, and smart cards. Proposed activities must use telehealth to advance previous investments (e.g., using e-prescribing to build a telepharmacy) and create interoperability with outside partners such as health departments and other HRSA grantees. At the end of the project period, grantees must demonstrate that they have implemented the HIT innovation in the sites they initially proposed. Grantee must also demonstrate how this innovation has or will lead to improvements in health outcomes. All grantees must demonstrate steps taken to achieve sustainability of initiative after Federal funds ends.

Eligible applicants include public and non-profit organizations, including faith-based and community-based organizations, from one of the following categories: 1) a network controlled by and acting on behalf of the health center(s), as defined and funded under section 330(e)(1)(C) of the PHS Act; 2) a health center, as defined and funded under section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), as amended, applying on behalf of a managed care network or plan, that has received federal grants under subsection 330(e)(1)(A) for at least the two consecutive preceding years; or 3) a health center as defined and funded under section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), as amended, applying on behalf of a practice management network, that has received federal grants under subsection 330(e)(1)(A) for at least the two consecutive preceding years.

The deadline for applications is March 28.

To view the application guidance:

OTHER NEWS

Funds for Substance Abuse Treatment for People of Color Living with HIV/AIDS: Application Deadline March 27
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is soliciting applications for the Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services. This program aims at enhancing and expanding substance abuse treatment and/or outreach and pretreatment services that are provided in conjunction with HIV/AIDS services performed in the African-American, Latino/Hispanic, and other racial and ethnic communities highly affected by the epidemics of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.

Grantees must ensure that in addition to using methods to reach out to high-risk substance abusers in these racial and ethnic communities, they will also launch efforts to address the needs of one or more of the following populations: 1) women, including mothers and their children; adolescents (ages 12-17) and/or young adults (ages 18-24); injecting and at-risk non-injecting drug (including alcohol) users and their partners, including men who have sex with men; and individuals released from incarceration within the past 2 years.

Eligible applicants include public and private nonprofit entities. For example, State and local governments, federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, public or private universities and colleges; and faith-based organizations may apply.

Applications are due March 27.

More information and the application guidance.

Adult Antiretroviral Treatment Guidelines Updated
The “Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents” have bee updated. Changes are summarized in the "What's New in the Document?" section located at the front of the guidelines. Changes are also highlighted in yellow throughout the text and tables. Updated information addresses: 1) which combination regimens to start treatment with; 2) treatment interruption; 3) treatment of acute HIV infection; 4) treatment of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients; and 5) the recently approved NNRTI, etravirene.

These updated guidelines, and other treatment guidelines:

Satellite Videoconference on Rapid Testing/Diagnosing of Acute HIV Infection: April 16, 12:30-2:30 ET
A satellite videoconference on rapid HIV testing and diagnosing acute HIV infection will take place April 16, 12:30-2:30 ET. This program is part of an ongoing satellite videoconference series entitled "The Management of HIV/AIDS in the Correctional and Community Setting," which addresses clinical issues in the management of HIV-infected patients. This series is a collaborative venture among Albany Medical College, the New York State Department of Correctional Services, and the private pharmaceutical industry. Each program addresses a different clinical aspect of HIV infection using the same format: didactic lectures, case presentations, and a panel discussion. The program is designed for physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, nurses, dentists, dental hygienists, and other interested providers. For more information on the program go to:

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: February 7
The mission of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is to build the capacity and increase awareness, participation, and support for HIV prevention, care, and treatment among African Americans. February 7, 2008 marks the eighth year of this annual event. The theme of 2008 NBHAAD is “Prevention is Power.” The primary goal of NBHAAD is to motivate African Americans to: get tested and know their HIV status; get educated about the transmission modes of HIV/AIDS; get involved in their local community; and get treated if they are currently living with HIV or are newly diagnosed. More information is available:

Information and resources, including posters, fact sheets, and a toolkit, are also available from the DHHS Office of Minority Health at:

Black Church Week of Prayer: March 2-8
The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is a week-long education and awareness campaign highlighting the role of the Black Church in addressing the HIV crisis. This campaign serves to pave the way for the continuous delivery of prevention education and services to the African-American community via faith communities. For more information on the event go to:

http://www.balmingilead.org/programs/weekofprayer2008/

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