Ryan White and Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

TargetHIV

Nearly three-fourths of HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) clients are from racial/ethnic minority populations. American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) comprise 0.5% of persons receiving HIV care from the RWHAP. The majority are low income, men who have sex with men, and over 50 years of age.

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is March 20. The 2023 theme is Reflection. Celebration. Rejuvenation.

From 2010 to 2021, viral suppression rates increased among all racial/ethnic populations getting RWHAP medical care, including American Indian/Alaska Native clients (70.4% to 87.7%) (2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Annual Client-Level Data Report, HRSA 2022).

RWHAP Policy

See HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau Policy Notice 07-01 Use of Funds for American Indians and Alaska Natives and Indian Health Service Programs on access to RWHAP services for AI/AN populations. 

TA and Training Resources

Various RWHAP resources have been developed over the years to address HIV/AIDS among Native American and Alaska Native populations. Below are highlights:

  • TIA/CHANGE, Trauma-Informed Approach & Coordinated HIV Assistance and Navigation for Growth and Empowerment, guides organizations to become trauma-informed. Elements include enrollment of clients in trauma-informed intensive case management services. The project was implemented by the Alaska Native Tribal Health as part the E2i SPNS Initiative. TIA/CHANGE clients achieved improvements in prescription of ART and viral suppression. 

TIA/CHANGE is one of the Best Practices Compilation of interventions with demonstrated effectiveness at improving client outcomes along the HIV care continuum.

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