Supporting HIV Primary Care Networks in Diverse Community Health Settings Across the U.S

Issues: HIV primary care requires a network of mulitdisciplinary providers pursuing positive health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This network requires capacity building assistance (CBA) and technical expertise support to improve and expand programs for PLWHA. Description: The national Supporting Networks of HIV Care by Enhancing Primary Medical Care project provides training, technical assistance and capacity building to develop, improve, and expand comprehensive HIV primary medical care and treatment services to racial/ethnic minority communities severely impacted by HIV/AIDS. Lessons Learned: Through a multi-tiered approach, over 100 organizations received short term technical assistance, long term intensive capacity building, and/or enduring online educational opportunities. Evaluation data indicate recipients of these CBA services have improved, enhanced, and/or expanded their HIV primary care services and the number of providers of these services in their organizations. They also have expanded the reach of their programs to additional PLWHA in their communities. Recommendations: Capacity building is more than one-time intervention: it is an ongoing process that requires consistent ongoing communication and reassessment of needs. HIV primary care providing organizations benefit from both short and long term CBA models but also benefit from the enduring materials accessed after CBA has been delivered.