As we conclude February 2025, it has been a notable month. There is a degree of uncertainty among our SHARC-affiliated faculty, staff, and students regarding the future funding for medical research. Our SHARC community partners also understandably have concerns about potential funding reductions that could impact health services related to HIV and alcohol. While the proposed funding cuts to medical research may affect many of our SHARC center activities and the support for our team, it is important to note that we have not yet experienced any specific cuts or received requests to alter our operations. Our overall mission, to improve health outcomes among people with HIV through research, community engagement and training, remains unchanged.
As we continue to move forward with strategic planning related to ending the HIV epidemic in Florida, one of our current research focus areas is Implementation Science, the study of how to put evidence-based practices into practice in real-world settings. We have effective interventions to treat HIV, to prevent HIV, and to reduce the harm from alcohol and other substance use. However, these effective interventions do not always reach those who can benefit. Last week, our SHARC Center team collaborated with researchers at Florida State University and UF Jacksonville College of Medicine to host an “HIV Implementation Science Symposium” in Jacksonville. Over 30 participants attended the event, including researchers and persons working in community-based organizations. We learned about some of the key models used to describe implementation science and about work being led by our researchers related to implementation of HIV treatments, HIV prevention, and to improve HIV-related comorbidities such as mental health. This successful symposium was one of the first steps in formalizing a formal HIV Implementation Science Working Group for North Central Florida.
Thanks to everyone who follows our SHARC activities in SHARC Bites. We will keep you posted on whether or not the current political situation and funding discussions impact our work. For now, we are still planning our upcoming HIV Community Providers Researcher Conference in April and hope to see you there!
