PrEP Group Learning Series

In January- March of 2021, IDTA@JSI worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) to host four online learning sessions on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services. Participants in the Group Learning Series included providers from agencies receiving funding from the MDPH Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS) to provide infectious disease services. Session activities included panel discussions and breakout sessions. Video recordings and slide decks for each session are available to view and download below.

The topics for each session were:

PrEP Group Learning Series Session 1: Staff Awareness and Knowledge of PrEP

Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 3:00-5:00 pm

This session included an overview of staff awareness and knowledge of PrEP, and a panel presentation with  BAGLY and Holyoke Health Center on how their agency increased awareness and knowledge of PrEP services.

This session focused on increasing participants’ ability to:

  • Define awareness of PrEP (including availability, eligibility, etc.) inside their agency
  • Identify at least one opportunity to improve awareness of PrEP internally within their agency
  • Identify at least one opportunity to standardize process for capturing awareness-related data (e.g., risk assessment)

 Session 1: Awareness slide deck

PrEP Group Learning Series Session 2: Access to PrEP Services

Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 3:00-5:00 pm

This session included an overview of  common barriers in accessing PrEP services, along with a panel presentation from Codman Square Health Center and the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) staff  who shared how they address PrEP access barriers in their agencies.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to: 

  • Identify one or more barriers that their organization may seek to address related to helping clients access PrEP.
  • Identify at least one opportunity to improve access to PrEP by addressing barriers that clients experience.
  • Identify at least one opportunity to standardize processes for capturing access-related data toward making improvement

Session 2: Access slide deck

PrEP Group Learning Series Session 3: PrEP Initiation

Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 3:00-5:00 pm

This session included an overview of PrEP initiation, along with a panel presentation from Justice Resource Institute and Boston Medical Center, who shared their agencies’ work to improve initiation of PrEP.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to :

  • Describe the importance of a process to achieve initiation of PrEP for individuals
  • Identify at least one opportunity for the agency to increase initiation of PrEP among individuals identified as clinically eligible.
  • Consider approaches to improve monitoring of initiation of PrEP
  • Identify at least one opportunity to standardize process for capturing initiation-related data

Session 3: Initiation slide deck

PrEP Group Learning Series Session 4: PrEP Adherence and Retention

Wednesday, March 10, 2021, 3:00-5:00 pm

This session included an overview of adherence to PrEP and retention in PrEP care, along with a panel presentation from testNtreat/Outer Cape Health Services and Project SHINE/East Boston Neighborhood Health Center on their agencies’ work to improve adherence supports to PrEP and retention in PrEP care.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to:

  • Define adherence to PrEP and retention in PrEP Care
  • Describe the evidence-based best practices for PrEP adherence and retention in PrEP care
  • Identify at least one opportunity to strengthen supports for PrEP adherence and retention in PrEP care
  • Identify at least one opportunity to standardize process for monitoring PrEP adherence and retention in PrEP care

Session 4: Adherence and Retention slide deck

Learn more about PrEP.