The School of Public Health congratulates the Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center (MAAETC), which received renewed U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration funding of more than $3.2 million for the second year of a five-year project period ending in 2029. Total funding for the project is nearly $18 million.
Led by Linda Rose Frank, PhD, MSN, professor of infectious diseases and microbiology, the MAAETC convenes clinical and educational expertise from academic and health care institutions in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Virginia and West Virginia to improve care for people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those at risk through training, technical assistance and capacity building. Regional partners include Johns Hopkins University, West Virginia University, the University of Maryland at Baltimore, Howard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Health Federation of Philadelphia, Christiana Care and Inova Healthcare.
“Many assume HIV is no longer an issue, but far from true,” says Frank, explaining that MAAETC also addresses the co-occurring issues of substance use, mental illness, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, as well as other infectious diseases for which health care professionals may require training.
“We want to increase the capabilities of health care systems like federally qualified health centers and community programs serving people with HIV and those at risk to increase access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care,” she added. “This is particularly true in rural areas.”
Richard Krug, MDiv began working as executive director of Shepherd Wellness Community (SWC) in 2020 and took part in MAAETC training not long thereafter. Located in Bloomfield, the private, nonprofit HIV/AIDS community center provides wellness dinners/meals, support groups, peer counseling, education speakers, respite outings/activities, and wellness programs to people living with HIV who are members of the organization and their loved ones.
“I learned quickly how valuable a resource the Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center was,” says Krug, an ordained Lutheran pastor. “In 2023, MAAETC did an in-person, day-long program on HIV and aging that was really great.”
More recently, Krug says SWC staff took part in training that focused on trauma-informed care—an approach that works with people experiencing trauma to create a sense of safety, foster trust, offer choices, encourage collaboration, and promote empowerment to support healing and resilience.
“When people have had trauma in their lives (and many of us have but some people much more than others), it begins to shape how they interact with others and how they respond to what happens around them,” says Krug. “MAAETC did a custom training for us that was absolutely incredible.”
The MAAETC ensures ongoing education, workforce development, and the enhancement of HIV care and prevention across the region. Health care professionals and interprofessional teams gain access to vital resources, training and networking opportunities, enabling them to deliver compassionate care.
For more information or to register for in-person and web-based training and technical assistance, visit MAAETC.org.
--Michele Dula Baum