Twenty community organizations will receive $15,000 each for community-driven innovative solutions to address the needs of people aging with HIV or long-term survivors in rural and urban areas.

These funds are part of the first phase of two challenges worth a total of $1 million that focus on HIV and aging and long-term survivors. The two challenges were organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), and the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

The two challenges are:

  • “Innovations for Needs of People Aging with HIV/Long-term Survivors in Urban Communities” Challenge
  • “$500,000 Rural HIV and Aging Challenge”

These efforts support innovations that help improve health outcomes for people aging with HIV and long-term survivors, particularly among racial and ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ populations.

Each challenge is split into two phases. The first phase, which is referenced above, awards winners $15,000 each for their design of concept. In the second phase, these winners will begin the development of solutions and small-scale testing of their concepts.

“These community-driven solutions focus on the needs of older adults living with HIV to address their non-biomedical needs, such as nutrition, social isolation, and peer and caregiver support. These solutions can be highly effective in improving their overall health and well-being,” said Kaye Hayes, MPA, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infectious Disease & Director, OIDP.

The challenges are funded by the Minority HIV/AIDS Fund (MHAF), which aims to improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment for racial and ethnic minorities through supporting innovative solutions that address critical emerging needs. MHAF also works to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of federal investments in HIV programs and services for racial and ethnic minorities. The challenges are also part of actions identified in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan.

“We offered both a rural and urban challenge seeking effective community-based solutions because different communities often require a different approach,” said Edwin Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, ACL.

Phase 1 Challenge Winners (in Urban communities)

Organization Location
Lantern PRIME’d: Peer Reminiscence Intervention for Minority Elders (PRIME) Innovation in Supportive Housing New York, NY
Aging Unfiltered Chicago, IL
HIV Supportive Services Program for PLWH in Urban Communities Detroit, MI
Seasoned Survivors Design Concept Fort Worth, TX
Experienced Escapades (EE) – Expansion Phoenix, AZ
Loneliness Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (LONE-SBIRT):
A Public Health Model for Addressing Loneliness in People Aging with HIV in Camden, New Jersey		 Camden, NJ
Increasing Engagement and Expanding Access for People Aging with HIV in an Urban Community: The Age Positively Program Town Hall Initiative Boston, MA
Flourish Initiative - Let’s Get MOVING! Chester County, PA
Surviving HIV Newark, NJ
Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services San Francisco, CA

Phase 1 Challenge Winners (in Rural communities)     

Organization Location
Project Hozho: Virtual Talking Circles & Storytelling Interventions for Rural Native American Veterans Navajo Nation in Arizona
Providing for Rural Aging HIV Patients Plan Baton Rouge, LA
PATH2Digital_Connection: CHN Tablet and Hotspot Lending Program Rural Colorado
Georgia Department of Public Health and Department of Human Services Rural HIV and Aging Proposal Richmond County, GA
HIV Aging Supports and Nutrition Pilot Project for Rural East Texas Residents Rural East Texas
Golden Rainbows of Illinois South Food & Nutrition Program for those Aging with HIV Southern Illinois
LiveStrong.AI – SMS AI ChatBot to Engage Those Living with HIV in Rural Areas Across Rural U.S.
The Citrus Sugar Project Rural Palm Beach and Highlands Counties, Florida
HUGS for Rural Caregivers of Loved Ones Aging with HIV & Dementia Rural South Caroline and California
The T.R.U.T.H. Project Presents Social Networking Space Houston, Texas area

This blog post was originally published June 13, 2023, by HIV.gov. It is republished with permission.