The Black Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Initiative was a three-year Initiative that funded eight recipient sites to implement evidence-informed behavioral health interventions and/or models of care (MOCs) to engage, link, and retain Black MSM with HIV in medical care and supportive services. The interventions/MOCs included strategies to integrate behavioral health services, including substance use disorder treatment, with HIV care to specifically address the needs of Black MSM with HIV and improve their health outcomes. Intervention outcomes informed the development of implementation toolkits and other dissemination products in order to promote replication across the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and other health care settings.
These sites chose from the four interventions and/or models of care (MOCs) from the Center for Engaging Black MSM across the Care Continuum (CEBACC) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-identified HRSA/SPNS to implement culturally competent services for Black MSM with HIV. These interventions included a social marketing campaign, a case management program, recreation-based peer support, and motivational interviewing.
Replicating the Interventions
The products in this section are designed to facilitate the replication or adaption of successful interventions for engaging Black MSM in HIV medical care, behavioral health care, and support services and improving their health outcomes. Each of the eight interventions in the Black MSM Initiative developed implementation manuals, toolkits, and monographs that provide ideas for replication, lessons learned, and descriptions of key tools used to develop and implement the intervention that may be adapted or adopted by future programs.
Intervention Monographs
Each site developed a monograph that describes their intervention, key evaluation findings, and important lessons learned for future replicators. These monographs are compiled in Evidence-Informed Behavioral Health Models to Improve HIV Health Outcomes for Black Men who have Sex with Men Initiative and provide an introduction to the intervention, with more detailed information available in the manuals and toolkits linked in each site's section.
Publications
- Hodge S, Johnson-Turbes A, Flemming S, Passero M, Tinsley M, Iheanyichukwu T. The Black MSM Initiative Study Group. Implementation of Evidence-Informed Behavioral Health Models to Improve HIV Health Outcomes for Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Black MSM Initiative): Protocol for Program Evaluation. JMIR Res Protoc 2022;11(7):e36025. DOI: 10.2196/36025
- Hodge SE, Robinson D, Johnson-Turbes A, St. Clair Flemming S. Integrating Behavioral Health and Clinical Care to End the HIV Epidemic among Black Men who have Sex with Men. AETC ShareSpot blog, 29 Oct 2020.
- Tinsley MJ, Cajina A. Implementation of Evidence-Informed Behavioral Health Models to Improve HIV Health Outcomes for Black Men who Have Sex with Men: A Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F Special Projects of National Significance.AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-1-S-2.
- Shah SV, Reist BM, Sawyer JL, Chiao AB, Hodge SE, Jones CD, Rein DB. Evaluating Evidence-Informed Behavioral Health Models to Improve HIV Health Outcomes: Quantitative Findings from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Special Projects of National Significance Black Men who Have Sex with Men Initiative. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-3-S-20.
- Hodge SE, Passero M, Robinson D, Shah S, Anthony T, Jones CD. Prioritizing Flexibility, Human Connection, and Representation: Findings from the Qualitative Process Evaluation of the Special Projects of National Significance Black Men who have Sex with Men Initiative. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-21-S-27.
- Daniels I, Anthony T, Peavie J, Miesfeld N, Pyatt T, Robinson D, Jones C. Black Men who Have Sex with Men with HIV and Providers in HIV Care Settings Reflect on Stigma Reducing Strategies to Promote Engagement in Health Care. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-28-S-35.
- Goings B, Iglesias-McElwee C, Le BV, Keller K, Sykes D, Brewer R. Frontline Perspectives from the Implementation of Evidence-Informed Interventions to Improve Behavioral Health and HIV Outcomes among Black Men who Have Sex with Men in the United States. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-36-S-45.
- Kisler KA, Fletcher JB, Reback CJ. Peer Case Management Promoting Advancement Along the HIV Care Continuum Among Black Men who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV: Building Brothers Up. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-46-S-53.
- Gerke DR, Glotfelty J, Freshman M, Schleuter J, Oches A, Plax K. Help is Available: Supporting Mental Wellness Through Peer Health Navigation with Young Black Men who Have Sex with Men with HIV. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-54-S-64
- Barak N, Boyle C. Lessons from +LOVE, Improving HIV Care for Black Men who Have Sex with Men in New Orleans Using and Integrated Behavioral Health Crisis Support Model of Care. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-65-S-73.
- LeGrand SH, Davis DA, Parnell HE, Trefney EJ, Goings B, Morgan T. Integrating HIV and Mental Health Services for Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men with Have Sex with Men Living with HIV: Findings from the STYLE 2.0 Intervention. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Oct 2022. S-74-S-85.
- Gerke DR, Glotfelty J, Slovacek S, Freshman M, Schlueter J, Plax K. More than just Reminders: Using Text Messaging to Improve HIV Care Outcomes Among Youth and Young Adults Living with HIV. AIDS and Behavior 2023; DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04022-2.