The schedule presented here is subject to change as the agenda is finalized.
This session explores how person-centered instructional design can improve HIV prevention efforts by enhancing engagement, reducing stigma, and supporting provider readiness. Using examples like PrEP and DoxyPEP, we’ll show how culturally responsive, empathetic eLearning can bridge the implementation gap and empower diverse learners to make informed, stigma-free decisions.
In 2021, 78.2% of the 294 new HIV cases in Hillsborough County occurred among males, with male-to-male sexual contact as the leading transmission mode. Despite Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) reducing HIV risk by 99%, accessibility remains a barrier. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Health Disparities Coalition PrEP Task Force applied a virtual adaptation of the Community-Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) framework to develop an intervention addressing PrEP uptake.
Test Up! PrEP Up! Level Up! Now You’re In the Game! The Maryland Activation—is a high-impact, community-driven initiative led by Heart to Hand, Inc. in partnership with Walgreens and regional health organizations across Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Charles Counties. Held June 27–28, 2025, in recognition of National HIV Testing Day, the activation expands access to free, confidential HIV testing, PrEP education, and immediate linkage to care through trusted community and pharmacy settings.
The decline in drug-related fatalities in New Jersey over the past three years reflects progress in harm reduction, yet racial disparities remain stark. Black and Hispanic communities continue to face disproportionate rates of drug-related deaths—51.4 and 38.9 per 100,000, respectively—compared to white residents. The Black Lives Matter Paterson Harm Reduction Center and Mobile Unit provides resources, care, and support to neglected populations through culturally responsive, Black-centered mobile outreach.
This presentation will explore the intersection of reentry, HIV prevention, harm reduction, and LGBTQ health through the lens of a community-based model developed by Voices for a Second Chance (VSC), a nonprofit based in Washington, DC. VSC’s holistic approach combines trauma-informed case management, peer-led support, and cross-sector collaboration to support justice-involved individuals as they transition back into the community. By meeting basic needs and providing comprehensive health navigation, the model reduces both health risks and the likelihood of recidivism.
This session focuses on the way forward with syndemic approaches to eliminate HIV, viral hepatitis, and related epidemics in a political environment characterized by significantly diminished federal investment in infectious disease prevention and treatment, and in overdose crisis response.
Scaling back HIV and STI federal funds undermines decades of progress made in the public health realm. Domestic HIV and STI Prevention programs aim to provide essential services such as testing, treatment and education, to help decrease transmission of infectious diseases and improve health outcomes in the local communities. The Houston Health Department (HHD) relies mostly on federal grants to support staffing, infrastructure and preventative services. The Partner Services program is especially crucial for contact tracing to prevent further spread of disease by tracking partners of individuals potentially infected with syphilis and HIV. HHD assessed the Partner Services program’s performance levels to determine if uncertainty in receiving federal funds, which potentially contributed to a significant reduction in workforce, had negatively impacted Public Health Follow Up (PHFU) activities.
Having previously reported on clinical outcomes of Adolescents and Young Adults with HIV (AYAHIV) in the Accessing Care Early (ACE) young adult transition program, we present an update, detailing the design and implementation of this multi-dimensional program, the innovations in biomedical and care delivery interventions, as well as programmatic challenges and opportunities as we evolve into a mature transition program. This workshop will use didactics and interactive presentation, case-study, transparent panel discussion and Q&A as participants engage with the ACE program’s multidisciplinary team, including an YAHIV who “came of age” in the program.
As people living with HIV (PLWH) age, cognitive decline presents a growing yet underaddressed challenge. This presentation highlights an innovative collaboration between The Grand Rapids Red Project (TGRRP) and the Alzheimer’s Association Michigan Chapter (AAMC) to implement routine cognitive screenings within TGRRP’s HIV care programs. The initiative targets PLWH aged 44+ and those exhibiting overt cognitive impairment, aiming to bridge gaps in care complexity for aging populations.
In this presentation, AAMC will review national trends in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and statewide efforts to develop programming for aging PLWH through partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs). With AAMC’s support, TGRRP designed an HIV and aging pilot program featuring tailored screening tools, staff training, and referral pathways—offering replicable strategies for similar programs.
With advancements in HIV treatment, individuals living with HIV are now living longer, By 2030, 70% of people living with HIV (PLWH) will be ages 50 and older. But, as PLWH age they face unique challenges, particularly with cognitive health. One major concern is HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND), a form of cognitive decline more common among PLWH. This presentation will provide a brief overview of HIV care; the signs and risk factors for HAND; similarities and differences between HAND and Alzheimer's disease; and why accurately diagnosing cognitive change in PLWH is so important.
This presentation will explore critical considerations in the management of HIV in the context of pregnancy, focusing on evidence-based practices and clinical guidelines. Divided into three clinically relevant scenarios, the session will address: (1) treatment and monitoring of HIV in pregnant individuals, (2) postnatal management of infants with in utero exposure to HIV, and (3) considerations for HIV-positive parents who plan to breastfeed. Each topic will be anchored by a clinical case, offering participants an opportunity to apply current guidelines. Emphasis will be placed on reducing risk of perinatal HIV transmission, optimizing maternal and infant outcomes, and navigating ethical and cultural factors in decision making. Attendees will leave with practical clinical pearls and an updated understanding of best practices in HIV care during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
In recent years, sexually transmitted infections (STI) rates in the United States have risen dramatically, with more than 2.4 million STIs reported in the United States alone (CDC, 2024). STIs can have a profound impact on health, including infertility, neurological and cardiovascular disease, stillbirths, and increased risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This growing epidemic demands urgent action to enhance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of STIs.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are a growing public health concern, particularly for women and girls, who experience disproportionately high rates and rising incidence. Barriers such as cost, transportation and geographic access, and appointment availability limit access to timely STI care. For those who do access family planning care, integrating STI testing into comprehensive visits can reduce the need for repeat appointments and improve health and wellbeing.
In 2023, in response to rising syphilis rates and persistent disparities in STI outcomes, we launched a free, community-based STI clinic to expand access to testing and treatment. Prior to this, our services were primarily focused on providing PrEP and HIV care to the LGBT population. In 2024 alone, the clinic served 871 patients—69% of whom identified as ethnic minorities, a population disproportionately impacted by barriers to healthcare access, including PrEP.
Attendees will receive practical language tools and strategies for creating safer environments that promote disclosure and engagement, with a focus on empathy, choice, and validation. The session includes a live, interactive demonstration where providers will practice history-taking scenarios and receive real-time audience feedback on tone, language, and emotional safety.
In 2022 in Alabama, youth age 13-24 made up the majority of chlamydia and gonorrhea cases, and nearly a quarter of new HIV diagnoses, illustrating the need for STI prevention efforts aimed at this population. Incarcerated youth represent a group more vulnerable to HIV/STI infection than youth in general. The UAB Family Clinic has partnered with the Alabama Department of Youth Services to provide HIV/STI education confidential HIV testing to youth held in detention facilities across the state of Alabama. In 2024, the UAB Family Clinic provided comprehensive HIV/STI education to approximately 350 youth across 3 sites, 268 of whom opted to be tested for HIV.
Transgender Empathy Training is an interactive, community-centered educational program designed to cultivate cultural humility, deepen understanding, and expand institutional capacity to support transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people. Grounded in trauma-informed care, intersectional analysis, and lived experience, this training moves beyond basic terminology and policy compliance to build genuine human connection and sustained allyship.
This presentation examines how housing precarity and systemic bias shape clinical encounters with queer adolescents of color. Drawing from direct clinical practice, supervision, and education within urban community settings, it highlights the ways traditional care models often replicate inequities through rigid policies, pathologizing language, and a lack of intersectional awareness.
There is limited programming focused on the health and wellness of long-term survivors of HIV. With people living longer and their needs shifting, the number of resources that are available and accessible to seek care or even social interactions becomes scarce. The Long-Term Survivors Hub (LTS Hub) was created to continue to nurture and foster social engagement among older adults who have lived, worked, and fought for this community.
This study highlights Cabenuva’s potential to reduce adherence gaps and improve outcomes in structurally marginalized populations. The findings support further implementation of long-acting regimens and may inform policies aimed at increasing treatment access and equity in HIV care.
This interactive session explores the intersection of aging, race, gender identity, and sexuality through the lens of Black LGBTQ+/SGL individuals living with HIV. Drawing from lived experiences and frameworks like Aging While Black by Raymond Jetson, the session redefines aging not as decline, but as a site for power, healing, and systemic transformation.
Older adults living with HIV—especially Black gay men aged 50 and over—face compounding challenges including stigma, fragmented care, and under-resourced behavioral health services. This session highlights strategies from the Aging and HIV Institute (A&H), a California-based think tank dedicated to bridging HIV and aging service systems.
This conference is supported, in part, by independent educational grants from ineligible companies. A full list of supporters is available here. All accredited content has been developed and delivered in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence and the criteria of Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education™, and is free of commercial bias.