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.
HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau Fact Sheets, March 2023.
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.
- Key Populations, HIV in Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations is one of the lessons within the National HIV Curriculum, HRSA's AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) online guide for HIV clinicians (HRSA and AETC NCRC).
- Clinician's Guide: Working with Native Americans Living with HIV. This document is for medical providers, and it summarizes cultural challenges and solutions for delivering HIV/AIDS care to Native Americans. The guide was developed in 2002 and has since been updated.
- BESAFE: A Cultural Competency Model for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. This cultural competency guide, one in a series of such resources, is for health-care professionals providing services to these populations. The guide is based on the BE SAFE framework (Barriers to Care, Ethics, Sensitivity of the Provider, Assessment, Facts, and Encounters).
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It’s #NNHAAD & we recognize #RWHAP contributions to improving the lives of Native people with HIV. The Best Practices Compilation is seeking approaches for American Indian, Alaska Native & Native Hawaiian people. Share your work.
Awareness Day Websites
National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (HIV.gov)
The Indian Health Service HIV/AIDS webpage includes training and additional resources for delivering HIV prevention and care services to AI/AN populations.
Epidemiological Data
HIV in the United States by Race/Ethnicity (CDC, 2022)