HAB INFORMATION E-MAIL
Volume 7, Issue 9
April 29, 2004

This HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) e-mail features updates for the CARE Act
community. To subscribe contact Paula Jones at < pjones1@... >.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

HRSA/HAB NEWS

~RFA for National Quality Improvement/Management Technical Assistance
Center: Deadline June 30~

~Latest Issue of HRSA's CAREAction Addresses Buprenorphine~

~2004 Grantee Conference Update: Deadline for Posters May 3~

OTHER NEWS

~CDC Funds Available for Support of HIV Prevention Services in Reproductive
Health and Community Settings: Deadline May 14~

~CDC Grants $21 Million to Enhance HIV Prevention in Communities of Color~

~HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, May 18~

~Study Finds PLWH Adherence Rates High in Comparison to Other Diseases~

~DHHS Releases 2004 Grant Opportunities Notebook~

~amFAR Continues to Focus on Treatment Research, Information Dissemination~

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~HRSA/HAB NEWS~

***RFA for National Quality Improvement/Management Technical Assistance
Center: Deadline June 30***

HRSA/HAB is soliciting applications for a National Quality
Improvement/Management Technical Assistance Center (NQC) that will provide
technical assistance related to quality improvement and quality management
to all Ryan White CARE Act grantees and funded providers as they improve the
quality of care and respond to and implement quality management legislative
mandates. Eligible organizations are public or private nonprofit entities
and may include State and local government, their agencies and Indian Tribes
or tribal organizations with or without Federal recognition. Faith-based
and community-based organizations are eligible to apply. Applicants must
have at least four years experience in the fields of quality management,
quality improvement, working with CARE Act grantees and providing technical
assistance. A Letter of Intent is due June 1, 2004. The deadline for
applications is June 30, 2004.

For more information and to view the application guidance go to:
< http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/preview/guidancehab/hrsa04079.htm >.

***Latest Issue of HRSA's CAREAction Addresses Buprenorphine***

In October 2002, the Food and Drug Administration changed the landscape of
addiction treatment by approving buprenorphine, the first medication for
opiate dependence that can be prescribed in a primary care setting. This
office-based approach was authorized by the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of
2000 (DATA 2000), which applies to certain controlled medications that may
be useful in treating addiction. Buprenorphine, an opiate itself, is the
first medication approved under DATA 2000 to treat the symptoms of
withdrawal and block opioid craving. The March issue of HRSA's CAREAction
includes an overview of opiate addiction and basic information on
buprenorphine. It also discusses how buprenorphine interacts with HIV/AIDS
drugs.

To view the newsletter go to:
< http://www.hab.hrsa.gov/publications/march04/ >.

***2004 Grantee Conference Update: Deadline for Posters May 3***

Over 250 workshop proposals were received and HAB staff is presently
reviewing the submissions and setting the agenda for the 2004 grantee
conference. The deadline for posters is May 3. However, extensions will be
considered for those grantees not accepted for workshop presentations.
Topics for posters include: access to care; quality; program development;
coordination and linkage; administration and fiscal and program management;
and data, evaluation and outcomes.

For more information on submitting posters go to:
< http://www.psava.com/rwca2004/poster0.asp >.

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~OTHER NEWS~

***CDC Funds Available for Support of HIV Prevention Services in
Reproductive Health and Community Settings: Deadline May 14***

CDC will fund cooperative agreements to support HIV and other prevention
services in reproductive health and community settings. The funds are
intended to allow awardees to reach beyond their current efforts to prevent
STD/HIV transmission and unintended and teen pregnancies. There are two
components to the program announcement. All applicants are required to
apply for the HIV Prevention Integration (Part A) component, which supports
the integration of HIV prevention services into reproductive health
settings, while the Adolescent Reproductive Health (Part B) component is
optional for Part A applicants. Eligible applicants include public and
private nonprofit organizations and State and local governments and their
agencies. The deadline for applications is May 14.

For more information and the application guidance go to:
< http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/04073.htm >.

***CDC Grants $21 Million to Enhance HIV Prevention in Communities of
Color***

Regional and national organizations dedicated to preventing HIV in
communities of color will receive $21 million for the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. The awards go to 27 organizations focusing on
various aspects of prevention services including:
strengthening organizational infrastructure for HIV prevention;
strengthening HIV prevention interventions; improving community access to
and utilization of HIV prevention services; and enhancing HIV prevention
community planning.

To view a press release on the awards, including a list of the grantees, go
to:
< http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r040407.htm >.

***HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, May 18***

Currently, there are over 20 promising HIV vaccine candidates in various
stages of testing. Tuesday, May 18 is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, a day to
educate Americans about the need for vaccines to prevent HIV. This year's
theme is "Real People, Real Progress." HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is
intended to: highlight research advances; recognize volunteers who have
participated in HIV vaccine clinical trials; underscore why preventive HIV
vaccines will offer the best hope for controlling the AIDS epidemic; and
unveil the upside-down AIDS ribbon as a symbol of progress.

For more information and resources for planning events in your community go
to:
< http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/other/vaccineday2004.asp >.

***Study Finds PLWH Adherence Rates High in Comparison to Other Diseases***

A quantitative review of 50 years of research on variations in patients'
adherence to medical recommendations was published in the most recent issue
of the journal "Medical Care," (2004 Mar,42(3):200-9). The review,
conducted by M. Robin DiMatteo, PhD, of the University of California
Riverside, found that the average nonadherence rate across all the studies
reviewed is 24.8 percent. Adherence is highest in HIV disease, arthritis,
gastrointestinal disorders and cancer. It is lowest in pulmonary diseases,
diabetes, and sleep disorders. Improving patient adherence to treatment is
an important goal for HAB and CARE Act grantees.

***DHHS Releases 2004 Grant Opportunities Notebook***

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Center for
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) has released the 2004 Grants
Notebook, a guide to this year's Federal funding opportunities for
faith-based and community organizations. The Grants Notebook provides
descriptions of block and formula grants, and information on various health
and social welfare-related grant opportunities including HIV/AIDS education
and services. The book also includes information on the how to be a grant
reviewer and how to make a freedom of information request.

To view the Notebook go to:
< http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/docs/FBCI2004GrantsNotebook.pdf >.

***amFAR Continues to Focus on Treatment Research, Information
Dissemination***

The spring 2004 issue of amFAR News contains an article on how Salk
Institute researchers, Drs. Roberto Mariani and Nathaniel Landau, are
exploring the struggle between HIV and the body's natural defense systems
and factors that may prevent HIV infection from occurring. Dr. Mariani is
focusing on a small viral protein called Vif. Vif appears to allow HIV to
overcome a natural anti-HIV defense system in human cells. If Vif is not
present, HIV infection still occurs but the virus it produces is not able to
infect other cells. This discovery could lead to the development of new
anti-HIV drugs. The research is supported by amFAR.

amFAR produces a number of resources that allow those interested in HIV
research to stay abreast of the topic. These include: amFAR e-News, a
monthly update on the programs and activities of amFAR; and Treatment
Insider, which features special reports on emerging medical breakthroughs.

For more information on these resources or to subscribe to amFAR News go to:
<
http://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Newsletter/SubscriptionForm.asp?ievent=10790&
en=mmK9IeMPIdKWIaNXKmIQL8P3JnLSKeM6LlL1KrOeE >.

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In addition to the resources listed above, don't forget to check out these
other HAB resources, which are updated regularly.

HAB Web Site < http://hab.hrsa.gov >
CARE Act Technical Information and Education (CATIE) Library
< http://hab.hrsa.gov/CATIE/ >

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The HAB Information E-mail is distributed biweekly by the HRSA/HAB Division
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concerning HAB Information E-mail to < pjones1@... >. To
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