# Project Relevant Implementation Strategies to Enhance (RISE) Status Neutral Community Health Workers in Alabama and Missouri (AL-MO)

> **NIH NIH P30** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $423,933

## Abstract

Project Summary
Despite progress in moving the needle closer to the 90-90-90 goals, the U.S experiences almost 35,000 new
HIV cases each year, with persistent inequities in engagement in prevention services and along the care
continuum that disproportionately impact racial, cultural and ethnic minorities in socio-economically
disadvantaged communities. Missouri and Alabama are both Ending the HIV Epidemic priority states due to
rates of engagement along the care cascade that are behind the 90-90-90 goals. Status-neutral approaches
address two core pillars of the EHE mission, prevention and treatment. Community health workers (CHWs) are
trusted members of the local community bringing unique lived experiences that align with the client population
in their racial, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. The overarching goal of the planned multisite
implementation study is to develop a status-neutral CHW strategy for people living with HIV (PLWH) and
people at risk for HIV in partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs). We will build on multiple
implementation science models by using The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation and Sustainment
(EPIS) framework in conjunction with the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) for
identifying determinants and Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) to identify
implementation strategies. This application responds to the EHE CFAR/ARC Supplement Opportunity
(FY2022) request for Strategic alliances across jurisdictions to reach EHE goals through implementation
research. This proposal will strengthen capacity for multisite IS research and prioritize strategies for
implementing a status-neutral CHW intervention. We have assembled an exceptional team led by Drs.
Spiegelman (Yale), Humphries (Yale), Marotta (Wash U) and Lanzi (UAB) to bring together complementary
expertise in the fields of implementation science, community engaged research, HIV/AIDS prevention and
control and qualitative methods in implementation science. This study aims to: 1) Leverage existing community
collaboratives to foster community buy-in and relationships around the status-neutral CHW concept in Alabama
and Missouri, and 2) Define the components and determinants of a status-neutral CHW intervention in CBOs in
Alabama and Missouri in partnership with Project RISE [PI Brewer] at three more sites. We will 2a) Assess
acceptability, barriers, facilitators and preliminary readiness to implement a status-neutral CHW strategy by
analyzing existing CBO data on PrEP use and the HIV care continuum; interviews with frontline staff (n=10 per
site, 20 total); and a focus group with CBO leadership/management (n=10 participants per site, 20 total). We
will also 2b) prioritize implementation strategies and develop supporting materials for the delivery of a status-
neutral CHW strategy in partner CBOs across the two sites. The outcome of these aims will be strengthened
community collaboratives that support future t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10601768
- **Project number:** 3P30MH062294-20S2
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Trace S Kershaw
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $423,933
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2001-09-30 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10601768

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10601768, Project Relevant Implementation Strategies to Enhance (RISE) Status Neutral Community Health Workers in Alabama and Missouri (AL-MO) (3P30MH062294-20S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10601768. Licensed CC0.

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