The National Institutes of Health is accepting applications for its Implementing Comprehensive HIV services in Syringe Service Program (SSP) to support pilot development and testing of intervention approaches to demonstrate how SSPs can support expanded implementation of evidence-based HIV prevention and care that leads to increased uptake of HIV testing as well as greater uptake and maintenance of other services such as PrEP and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
Donor Name: National Institutes of Health
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 08/11/2022
Grant Size: $225,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
There has been a substantial increase in the number of syringe service programs (SSPs) in the US and the range of these settings has become broader, with many now located in health department or FQHCs, in addition to the more traditional CBO and AIDS Service Organization settings. There is a need to provide models for bringing sustainable integrated HIV prevention and care into SSP settings. Newer SSPs often are in settings that have limited expertise for other substance use services and may be limited in terms of HIV care. More established SSPs may provide HIV testing, but often do not directly provide other HIV prevention and care services and rely on referrals with limited follow-up. SSPs provide opportunities for regular contact with PWID and their network members (including non-injectors) which may enable greater engagement and re-engagement across the HIV continua of prevention and treatment. Newer SSPs often are in rural areas with limited capacity to provide a range of HIV services and the COVID pandemic has required restructuring of services and has led to some closures. CDC is developing infrastructure to better monitor SSP programs, survey clients, and develop technical assistance models for SSPs. A program of implementation-focused research to improve HIV prevention and care would complement this effort, as well as SAMHSAs support of these settings.
Examples of projects include (but are not restricted to):
- Develop and pilot test comprehensive harm reduction approaches (e.g. fentanyl test strips, naloxone distribution, attention to consequences of stimulant use) in ways that can affect participation in HIV prevention and/or care.
- Develop and pilot test models of comprehensive HIV and substance use services delivered by SSP settings (e.g. medication for opioid use disorder, PrEP, ARVs). with attention to sustainability beyond even a pilot trial.
- Develop and pilot test methods for delivering HIV prevention and care among the network members of SSP clients, including adherence support for periodic HIV testing, PrEP and ARVs.
- Research that demonstrates how expansion of SSP-based HIV and substance use services can utilize peer-based approaches, including peer navigation, to increase the reach of HIV services.
- Develop and pilot test models of SSP-based HIV and substance use services that also support linkage to essential services such as food assistance, housing, health insurance, and social welfare benefits.
- Research that pilot tests how telehealth and related technologies can successfully expand the range of services that can be offered by fixed site and/or mobile SSPs among rural and difficult-to-reach urban populations.
- Develop and pilot test models for how multi-site SSPs can tailor HIV and substance use prevention and care services to local settings.
- Develop and pilot test service expansion models for SSPs in settings such as health departments and FQHCs enabling access to a range of HIV and substance use prevention and care services.
- Designs that enable comparison of different state or local SSP policies and their effects on HIV and associated outcomes.
- Work with local providers and funders to evaluate ways to better integrate SSPs with local or regional healthcare systems.
Funding Information
- Direct costs are limited to $450,000 over a three-year period, with no more than $225,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.
- The maximum award period is 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Special district governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Small businesses
- Independent school districts
- State governments
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- City or township governments
- County governments
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
