Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Planning and Implementation for Metropolitan Statistical Areas Most Affected by HIV/AIDS

This project provides technical assistance from investigators at nine Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) to their local municipal Departments of Health in support of the Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Planning (ECHPP) Initiative. These CFARs are located in the nine cites that have the highest prevalence of AIDS cases in the US: New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Houston and San Francisco. This project has two specific Aims: 1) To support the provision of technical assistance from CFAR investigators to their local Departments of Health in support of the ECHHP initiative; and 2) To foster collaboration among CFARs, and to promote the involvement of academic investigators in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan. To address Aim 1, a wide range of projects will be implemented collectively by the nine CFARs, addressing eight of the 14 required ECHPP interventions (routine HIV screening in clinical settings, HIV testing in non-clinical settings, post-exposure prophylaxis, linkage to HIV care, treatment, and prevention services, interventions promoting retention in care, adherence to antiretroviral medications, behavioral risk screening and risk reduction interventions, and linkages to other medical and social services), as well as providing cross-cutting technical support and training to DOHs. To address Aim 2, a number of national initiatives will be undertaken by the participating CFARs: a new Inter-CFAR ECHPP Working Group CEWG) will be created to promote the CFAR-DOH collaborative process; inter-CFAR collaborations will be encouraged for ECHPP projects; an initial meeting of the nine CFAR ECHPP PIs will be held; an R-13 application will be developed to support the first national CEWG conference; CFAR ECHPP activities will be represented to Federal agencies and organizations representing state and local DOHs; and support for future CFAR ECHPP initiatives will be explored.