Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Aliveness Project HIV Prevention Program Supplemental Self Test Year 1 Carry Over Funds Request - Project Abstract Summary Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) and Transgender women of all races continue to represent a disproportionate number of new HIV infections in Minnesota and the Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Area. At the same time, non-Hispanic African American, African-born, and Hispanic communities bear a substantial burden of HIV cases, relative to their representation in Minnesota’s overall population. Compounding the urgency of these conditions, the Twin Cities is experiencing a significant increase in new HIV cases associated with injection drug use and homelessness. The communities that experience higher rates of HIV infection face persistent socioeconomic barriers limiting their access to routine medical care and HIV screening, which negatively affects their ability to achieve retention in HIV medical care and viral suppression. Purpose. The proposed project aims to reduce significant HIV disparities by developing and delivering a comprehensive, multi-component project that will include (1) targeted HIV testing and referral with MSM and Transwomen of all races, injection drug-using populations, and non-Hispanic African American, African-born, and Hispanic communities; (2) linkage to or re-engagement with HIV medical care and prevention education with each newly diagnosed or lapsed individual; (3) risk reduction education for all newly diagnosed individuals, with targeted behavioral intervention to address the high unmet needs of Transwomen living with HIV via TWIST; and (4) prevention education/risk reduction for high-risk negatives via condom distribution and referral to PrEP and nPEP, with targeted intervention via d-Up! to address the needs of high-risk negative Black MSM, who experience the highest proportion of new HIV infections relative to their population size in Minnesota. Outcomes. Founded in 1985 as one of Minnesota’s first HIV/AIDS service organizations, The Aliveness Project is a recognized community leader in serving the needs of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Its overall goal for this project will be to reduce HIV incidence and health disparities among Minnesota’s MSM, Transgender, IDU, and communities of color by (1) Increasing the number of MSM of all races, Transwomen, IDU and African American, African-born, and Hispanic Minnesotans who are tested for HIV (n = 400), and will increase diagnoses of HIV among persons who are unaware of their infection (2% reactive); (2) Increasing the number of clients who utilize medical care and other supportive services within 30 days of receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis to at least 90% (n = 7 of 8 newly diagnosed) ; (3) increasing the number of HIV-positive clients who report the adoption of preventive behaviors (e.g., treatment adherence, status disclosure, and condom use) to 75% annually (n = 6 of 8) by providing risk reduction education for each newly diagnosed or re-engaged individual, and by implementing TWIST, a small group-level intervention tailored to meet the unmet needs of Transwomen living with HIV; and (4) increasing the number of high-risk HIV-negatives who utilize PrEP/nPEP, condoms, STD screening, and other related risk reduction practices to 100% (n = 392) annually by delivering evidence-based, high impact prevention programming for those at high risk for infection or transmission of HIV and by implementing d-Up!, as a community-level intervention for training Black MSM opinion leaders to have conversations about risky sexual norms within their respective social networks.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).