Emergency departments (EDs) serve as a critical access point for medically underserved populations, including individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), co-occurring psychiatric disorders (COD), and those at elevated risk for HIV. This presentation aims to describe a publicly funded HIV prevention and health services program co-located in two affiliated urban Midwestern EDs, to describe any differences among patients who did and did not receive HIV testing, and to discuss strategies for leveraging Health Promotion Advocates (HPAs) in ED settings.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is associated with poor health outcomes for persons with HIV (PWH). Although higher HIV viral suppression rates have been reported among PWH who participate in Ryan White services, studies have not assessed effects on HCV coinfection.
This session explores innovative approaches to pharmacy workforce development that are reshaping how we train, mentor, and deploy future pharmacy professionals. As healthcare shifts toward community-based, prevention-focused models, there is an urgent need to prepare students, residents, and early-career pharmacists to lead in areas like HIV prevention, chronic disease management, and health equity. Drawing on the success of the Legacy Pharmacy Internship Program and AmeriCorps Pharmacy Advocate initiative, we highlight scalable strategies for embedding learners in high-impact roles that serve marginalized populations.
Heather Ivy Society, Faebris Medical, Clinipharm Global Health, and Trustee Drugs present an innovative project aimed at transforming HIV care in Atlanta. The collaboration introduces an alternative care model to mitigate HIV disparities in a high-impact area. Our program initiative, The End Starts With “U” - Unifying HIV Service Delivery, introduces a pharmacist-led care model that includes HIV testing coupled with advanced HIV prevention and treatment.
Many healthcare organizations are exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve care and streamline operations but often face uncertainty about how to begin. This session provides a clear and practical entry point for HIV service systems that want to integrate AI responsibly, particularly those working with limited resources.
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.
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.
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.
