SYNC 2026 Agenda
The schedule presented here is subject to change as the agenda is finalized.
14 sessions found.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
This schedule is preliminary and subject to change.
Studio D
Sessions at this room
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Test UP! PrEP! Level Up!
Studio D
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. -
PrEP Talk: Building Virtual Community Action in Hillsborough County, FL
Studio DIn 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. -
Leveraging Health Promotion Advocates in the Emergency Department to Expand HIV Testing: Findings from a Clinical Program
Studio DEmergency 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. -
Response to Syndemics
Studio DStayWell Health Center serves as a leading responder to the overlapping syndemics of HIV, hepatitis C, STIs, and social determinants of health in the Waterbury, Connecticut metro area. Through a status-neutral approach, StayWell ensures that all individuals—regardless of HIV status—are connected to comprehensive prevention or treatment services without stigma or delay. -
Breaking Barriers in HIV Prevention: Advancing PrEP Research While Rebuilding Trust in Black Communities
Studio DThis presentation explores the evolution of HIV prevention through the perspective of a Black woman, Community Health Advocate, and clinical research participant deeply engaged in advancing PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) innovation. While biomedical advancements from daily oral PrEP to long acting injectables have expanded prevention options, Black communities remain underrepresented in research and disproportionately impacted by persistent barriers to access. Through a lived-experience narrative, this session examines how medical mistrust, historical trauma, and unequal power dynamics shape community attitudes toward clinical research and preventive care. -
From Neglect to Respect: Ending the HIV Endemic with Affirmation
Studio DThis session explores how affirmation-based intervention models — grounded in cultural pride, self-preservation, and community affirmation — are essential to ending the HIV endemic. Using a community engagement and harm reduction framework, we discuss the historical roots of disconnection, and how strategic investments in culturally affirming outreach and education are critical. We offer models and approaches that center community affirmation, mental health support, and intergenerational healing as HIV prevention tools. -
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Narrowing Care Gaps in the HIV Care Continuum
Studio DBridging care gaps in the HIV care continuum, this presentation will review current HIV epidemiology in the United States, examine gaps across the HIV care continuum, and highlight missed opportunities in diagnosis, linkage, and retention in care. The session will underscore the importance of routine HIV screening and timely engagement in care, and will discuss evidence‑based strategies—including rapid initiation and re‑initiation of antiretroviral therapy—to reduce HIV transmission through sex and help narrow persistent gaps in HIV care.
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Sniffies: Not Just for Hook-ups — How Your Prevention Department Can Expand Outreach in Real Time
Studio DThis session will introduce some of the dating apps people are using - specifically Sniffies - and outlining how agencies can use the software to establish patterns for sexual activity in the immediate area and develop strategies to outreach options in real time, ultimately leading to an increase in PrEP and STI prevention uptake across all demographics. -
MSM Perspectives on Hypothetical Novel HIV Testing and Linkage Technology in South Carolina
Studio DMen who have sex with men (MSM) in the U.S. South face a disproportionate burden of HIV yet remain underserved in traditional prevention and care pathways. Stigma, structural inequities, and limited access to culturally competent services contribute to poor engagement across the HIV care continuum. These barriers are exacerbated by resource-constrained settings such as the rural South. -
Taking the Test Home: NKY Health’s Inclusive Approach to HIV Self Test Access
Studio DThis presentation offers an in-depth exploration of NKY Health's expansive HIV self-test distribution program, highlighting its multifaceted approach to making test kits readily available throughout the Northern Kentucky community. Our primary goal has been to maximize reach, ensuring these vital resources get into the hands of as many people as possible. -
PrEPared RN: Bridging Health Equity Gaps Through Nurse-Delivered PrEP
Studio DThis session showcases how nurses are transforming HIV prevention in one of the nation’s highest-incidence regions. This innovative, nurse-led model expands access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through standing orders, telehealth, and mobile outreach, allowing same-day initiation of care. -
EmpowHERed Resilience: Advancing Black Women’s Health Together
Studio DEmpowHERed Resilience is a transformative storytelling experience and institute for Black women to gather, reflect, and heal. Through a four-part video series, participants engage with lived stories across HIV prevention, care, and long-term wellness, uplifting sexual health and honoring the full spectrum of Black women’s experiences. This session fosters connection, affirms lived wisdom, and builds supportive networks, empowering Black women to move forward with strength, purpose, and possibility.
Accreditation, Credit, and Support
Information on credits offered to SYNC participants for attending institutes, sessions, and plenaries — live or in-person — is available here.
Commercial Support Acknowledgement
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.
