The RWHAP Best Practices Compilation gathers and disseminates interventions that improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Explore the Compilation to find inspiration and new ideas for improving the care of people with HIV. Learn more about the Best Practices Compilation and submit your innovation today for possible inclusion.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 19
The University of Mississippi Medical Center implemented a Postpartum Retention and Engagement Quality Improvement Initiative in 2017 to improve linkage to care, retention in care, and viral suppression among postpartum women with HIV. This intervention uses a combination of care coordination, printed materials, case management services, and improved collaboration and coordination between the Adult Special Care Clinic, which provides comprehensive HIV medical care, and a Perinatal HIV Program. The comprehensive intervention significantly improved retention in HIV care and increased viral suppression at both six and 12 months postpartum.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
Women; Pregnant and postpartum people
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Support service delivery model
Jackson, MS
The Undetectables is a client-centered model of integrated care that uses innovative, superhero-themed, anti-stigma social marketing, agency cultural change, and a toolkit of evidence-based antiretroviral therapy adherence strategies to support treatment adherence and viral suppression among people with HIV. A two-year demonstration project evaluation showed a significant increase in the proportion of clients who were virally suppressed from 39% to 62%.
Emerging Intervention
People with diagnosed mental illness; People who are unstably housed; People experiencing food insecurity; People who use drugs; People with a history of trauma
Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model; Systems/structural interventions
New York City, NY
The Max Clinic, located within the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center complex in Seattle, offers walk-in services and incentives to clients reengaging in HIV care, especially those who have not been well served by the traditional health care model—including clients who are experiencing homelessness, or who have mental health and substance use issues. The Max Clinic offers rapid antiretroviral therapy, incentives, a flexible clinical model, and access to comprehensive support services. Max Clinic clients were significantly more likely to reach viral suppression after 12 months than a comparable control group.
Evidence-Based Intervention
People with HIV who are not in care
Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Seattle, WA
Five clinics implemented Tailored Motivational Interviewing (TMI) to better serve young people with HIV as part of a RWHAP Part F SPNS initiative. Motivational interviewing is a well-documented approach to engage youth in care and facilitate behavior change in a variety of contexts. Clients participating in TMI received integrated HIV medical care and TMI, and demonstrated improved engagement in care and health outcomes.
Evidence-Based Intervention
Youth ages 13 to 24
Viral suppression
Support service delivery model
Los Angeles, CA
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Baltimore, MD
Detroit, MI
Philadelphia, PA
Three participating clinics—MetroHealth, the University of Kentucky Bluegrass Care Clinic, and Centro Ararat—participated in a RWHAP Part F SPNS initiative from 2016 through 2019 to implement integrated buprenorphine treatment and HIV care. Research has shown that care integration improves HIV outcomes, engagement in substance use disorder treatment, and quality of life for people with HIV. Clients participating in this intervention received integrated opioid use disorder (OUD) and HIV care to improve retention in care, viral suppression, and engagement in OUD treatment.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
People with opioid use disorder
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Cleveland, OH
Lexington, KY
Ponce, PR
Ten organizations across the U.S. integrated Community Health Workers (CHWs) into their multidisciplinary care teams. Enrolled clients had statistically significant improvements in viral suppression, antiretroviral therapy prescription, and appointment attendance after six months in the program.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
People with HIV
Retention in HIV medical care; Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Viral suppression
Support service delivery model
Birmingham, AL
Mobile, AL
Fort Myers, FL
Lake Charles, LA
New Orleans, LA
Baltimore, MD
Collaborative Care Management (CoCM) integrates mental health and primary care, with a care team of a primary care provider, behavioral health care manager, and psychiatric consultant. Together they provide comprehensive and coordinated care to people with HIV who have co-occurring depression or other psychiatric disorders. Four sites implemented CoCM as part of E2i, an initiative funded by the RWHAP Part F SPNS program from 2017–2021. CoCM led to statistically significant increases in antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription and viral suppression.
Evidence-Based Intervention
People with diagnosed mental illness
Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Washington, DC
Baton Rouge, LA
Detroit, MI
Tulsa, OK
The Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center launched Proyecto Promover to decrease HIV testing-related stigma, increase awareness of HIV status, and increase early linkage to and retention in care among Mexicanos with HIV. The program operates at the community level through social marketing, educational talks, networking, and testing. On the individual level, Proyecto Promover uses one-on-one conversations to identify and overcome barriers related to care engagement and retention. Evaluation showed promising rates of HIV testing, retention in care, and viral suppression.
Emerging Intervention
Hispanic/Latina(o/x) people
HIV diagnosis; Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Outreach and reengagement activities
Chicago, IL
From 2016 through 2019, three clinics—AIDS Care Group, Howard Brown Health, and Meharry Medical College—participated in a RWHAP Part F SPNS DEII initiative to implement peer linkage and re-engagement interventions for women of color with HIV. Integrating peers into HIV primary care teams has been effective in better engaging women of color in care.
Emerging Intervention
Women of color; Women
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Outreach and reengagement activities
Sharon, PA
Chicago, IL
Nashville, TN
Hispanic and Latino clients served by the team received culturally responsive care and linkages to external community resources, with resulting greater retention in care and improved viral suppression rates.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
Hispanic/Latina(o/x) people
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Kansas City, MO