Black AIDS Institute to Host Black Treatment Advocates Network and Black PrEP Meetings at USCA

Raniyah Copeland, Director of Programs, Black AIDS Institute

It's no secret that African Americans face a more severe burden of HIV/AIDS than other groups. In an effort to change that, the Black AIDS Institute is using this year's United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) as a backdrop for events designed to brainstorm solutions for the unique concerns of Black PLWHA and to determine better ways to prevent and treat the disease in the Black community.

On Sept. 8 the Institute will host the 2015 Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN) National Meeting, where BTAN's leadership will convene to discuss progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS and create a plan for 2016. BTAN is a collaboration that links Black PLWHA to care and promotes HIV education and treatment literacy.

The national meeting will not only be open to BTAN members; "we'll also be meeting with people who are not BTAN members but are interested in being a part of it," says Raniyah Copeland, director of programs for the Institute. Participants will learn a system called the seek, test, treat and retain (STTR) model, designed to reach out more effectively to Black PLWHA and high-risk Black people who are HIV negative.

"The national BTAN conference is imperative to combating HIV in the Black community because it supports the training of leaders who come directly from the community and understand the systemic issues affecting our people," says Leo Moore, M.D., co-chair of BTAN Los Angeles. One of the best things about the conference is that it fosters the sharing of innovative approaches being employed by BTAN chapters across the country, Dr. Moore adds.

Greg Wilson, BTAN Los Angeles co-chair, agrees. "I love that the BTAN conference provides an opportunity for our BTAN family to discuss successes, barriers and solutions that will allow us to continue doing the great work to combat the disparities that our communities face."

Tackling Treatment as Prevention

While USCA will touch upon many topics related to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, one area of particular concern is the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other biomedical interventions in the Black community. A 2014 study of Black MSM found that only 60 percent were willing to use PrEP. Among the reasons given for not using PrEP: discomfort discussing sexual activity with a health care provider and a mistrust of medical providers in general.

The implementation of PrEP differs by community, and what works for one community might not work for another. To address the use of PrEP among Black Americans, on Sept. 9 the Institute will host the USCA BTAN Black PrEP Summit. "The event will feature conversations with representatives from different sectors of civil society who will share best practices about how to increase PrEP education in the Black community," says Josephine Ayankoya, a program specialist for the Institute.

Speakers at the PrEP summit will include Eugene McCray M.D., director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and Dawn Smith, biomedical interventions implementation officer at the CDC. There will also be clinicians from across the country and representation from agencies that have implemented PrEP. Community partners for the event include AVAC, the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the Community Education Group, the Fenway Institute, Howard University College of Medicine, the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care,  Southern California Men's Medical Group, NMAC (the National Minority AIDS Council), SisterLove and Us Helping Us.

The event will focus on implementing PrEP within five segments of the Black community: youths and young adults, women, transgender people, heterosexual men and MSM. Topics that will be addressed include educating the community, teaching providers how to address the unique concerns of the Black community and creating a supportive infrastructure for administering PrEP. The event will be interactive, featuring breakout sessions to brainstorm ways to increase knowledge and awareness of PrEP within the Black community and to come up with recommendations for moving forward.

USCA is the largest annual gathering in the United States dedicated to addressing HIV/AIDS, making it an ideal place to hold these important discussions.

"There hasn't been as much uptake in the Black community as it relates to PrEP and treatment as prevention," says Copeland. "People are really interested in how to implement these biomedical interventions."

Tamara E. Holmes is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist who writes about health, wealth and personal growth.