The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) has issued a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to support the use of new media to prevent substance abuse and HIV/AIDS among high-risk populations.

SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Prevention and New Media program seeks to decrease stigma and discrimination by giving those at risk of contracting HIV the opportunity to share their stories online and encourage healthy behaviors. In addition, volunteer peer mentors/coaches will be used to train and encourage targeted populations to participate in substance abuse and HIV prevention programs. The program will use new media tools such as podcasts, social networking applications, mobile health applications, text messages, blogs, and more to disseminate targeted prevention messages about substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.

Target populations are those that are at highest risk for substance abuse and HIV/AIDS, including African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs); particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) members of these communities. HIV is especially prevalent among gay men and transgender women in these racial/ethnic minority populations.

This program is supported with resources from the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund. Eligibility is limited to past and present recipients of CSAP Minority AIDS Initiative prevention grants. For more information and application details, please see the funding opportunity announcement.