Join The Listening Session To Address HIV In The Transgender Community On December 8, 2016 - Open Call For Speakers!

Content From: AIDS.govPublished: November 09, 20163 min read

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On Thursday, December 8, 2016, the HHS Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy (OHAIDP) will host a community listening session on strategies for improving HIV prevention and care for transgender women of color. The session will be conducted via webinar from 2:00–3:30 p.m. (ET). Dr. Amy Lansky, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, will offer opening remarks.

Transgender communities in the United States are among those at highest risk for HIV infection. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) notes that, historically, our efforts focused on this population have been limited. However, since the NHAS was launched in 2010, the federal government has been making strides in improving its response. The updated Strategy identifies transgender women, especially Black transgender women, as one of the key populations disproportionately affected by HIV for whom we must prioritize interventions.

The listening session will begin with an overview of the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund (SMAIF). We will explore how SMAIF promotes innovation, addresses critical emerging issues, and has established new collaborations across federal agencies. We will also look at how the Fund has supported prior projects that focus on transgender persons.

The session will then focus on ways in which the SMAIF might support efforts to prevent new HIV infections and improve health outcomes among transgender women of color. SMAIF projects are significant in that they are designed to complement – not duplicate – other HIV prevention and care activities and to create lasting changes in federal programs that improve the quality, efficiency, and impact of HIV programs that serve racial and ethnic minorities. See HIV.gov’s page on the SMAIF for more information.

Please join federal leaders to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and solutions that you think SMAIF might be able to address.

Organizations that would like to deliver comments during the webinar should email the name of their representative to Caroline Talev, MPA, at Caroline.Talev@hhs.gov by Monday, November 21, 2016. Each organization may identify one representative. Speakers will be accepted on a first come, first served basis; the schedule will accommodate approximately 12 speakers. Comments are limited to 5 minutes to ensure that speakers have a chance to share their perspectives. If you would like to make a PowerPoint presentation, please email it to Caroline Talev by close of business on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Slides should be kept to a maximum of three slides per person. Applicants who are unable to attend the webinar are invited to submit written comments to Caroline Talev.

We invite speakers to respond to the following questions:
  1. What are the most important barriers to improving HIV prevention and care for transgender women of color that you think the SMAIF might help address?
  2. What are your recommendations for activities to address these barriers?
Anyone Can Join the Webinar
Webinar participation is open to the public. Please register by close of business on Tuesday, December 6, 2016. REGISTER HERE Exit DisclaimerWe look forward to hearing from you on Thursday, December 8, 2016, and continuing to collaborate as we all work to improve the health of transgender women and achieve the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.