2009 Annual AETC Appreciation Award Recognizes Professor Daisy Gely

(Orlando, FL - May 1, 2009) Each year the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (F/C AETC) recognizes one individual for their service and accomplishments in the field of HIV/AIDS.  This year's recipient, Professor Daisy Gely, is the leader of the F/C AETC training program in Puerto Rico and Professor of Health Education at the University of Puerto Rico.  Before joining the Florida/Caribbean AETC in 2002, Professor Gely served as Director of the Puerto Rico AETC since 1988.  The AETC is especially thankful for her many years of dedicated service to health care providers and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Recent past recipients of this award include David Waldron (2008), Dr. Paul Arons (2007), Tom Liberti (2006), Dr. Jeffrey Beal (2005), and Dr. Corklin Steinhart (2004).

Photo: Dr. Michael D. Knox, Professor Daisy Gely, and Dr. Jeffrey Beal.

18th Annual HIV Conference Held by Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center

(Orlando, FL - May 1 and 2, 2009) The Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (F/C AETC) held its 18th Annual HIV Conference May 1st and 2nd in Orlando.  A total of 385 attendees participated in the event.  Participants came from 21 states and territories, and three countries.  The conference focused on the most up-to-date treatment of HIV and related conditions for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and pharmacists who work on the front-line of HIV/AIDS care.  Dr. Jeffrey Nadler, Acting Director of the Therapeutics Research Program in the Division of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (DAIDS), and Professor of Medicine at George Washington University, was the Plenary Speaker.  All handouts and slide sets from the 2-day educational event are available online. 

The F/C AETC 19th Annual Conference is scheduled for May 14th and 15th, 2010 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

Right Photo: Dr. Nadler discusses the strategy and paradigm of emerging antiretroviral therapy

Left Photo: Conference participants enjoy the evening reception

USF Center Receives $2.8 Million to Continue Support of Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center

(Tampa, FL - July 1, 2008) Dr. Michael Knox recently received notice from the U.S. Public Health Service's Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) of continuation funding in the amount of $2.8 million to support the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC).

This grant provides ongoing HIV/AIDS training and research activities with physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, who receive state-of-the-art information, training, and consultation on the prevention and treatments of HIV and AIDS.

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(Tampa, FL, November 1, 2007) Michael D. Knox, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Director, announced today that the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) at the University of South Florida has been awarded funding for two projects aimed at expanding HIV testing capacity in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The AETC is operated by the USF Center for HIV Education and Research within the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI).

The grants are awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which recently endorsed a new set of guidelines recommending routine HIV testing in a variety of health care settings. The goal is to identify a greater proportion of infected individuals than conventional risk-based testing models detect. Currently, an estimated 25% of all persons who are HIV infected do not know their status and are not receiving the care they need.

The first grant provides $95,000 in funding for the Florida/Caribbean AETC to partner with correctional facilities and STD clinics in Florida, in addition to hospital labor and delivery centers in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The second grant brings $200,000 of funding from the CDC in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to increase testing in Florida counties with the greatest racial and ethnic disparities among those living with HIV/AIDS. This initiative will mainly target hospital emergency rooms and labor and delivery rooms.

The Florida/Caribbean AETC will develop training curricula and educational materials for health care providers and their clients, provide technical assistance to establish rapid testing protocols in hospital delivery centers and emergency rooms, and collect and analyze data to monitor the progress of HIV testing efforts.  Hilda Leon, RN, will be responsible for perinatal training and technical assistance, and Research Assistant Jennifer Syvertsen will provide project coordination.

(Tampa, FL - March 3, 2006) Michael Knox, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Director, announced today that the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) has developed a partnership with Walgreens Pharmacy. The AETC operates within the USF Center for HIV Education and Research at the University of South Florida.

According to Dr. Knox, “Walgreens approached our Marketing Coordinator, Jason Longo for an efficient solution to providing Antiretroviral Therapy guidelines to all of their pharmacists and he promptly created a special link to our online version, which we update regularly. When printed the cards are designed to be folded and carried in a lab-coat pocket for easy reference.”

Walgreens announced the drug reference card to 5000 stores and to all management by e-mail. Additionally, their “What's New” newsletter included information about the link. This link resides on every Walgreens Pharmacy computer (25,000 computer terminals). 20,000 pharmacists and 80,000 technicians are now able to view and print this at will. Walgreens is the largest drug store chain by sales, and second by store count. In 2005 alone, they fulfilled 490 million prescriptions.

Almost 6,000 Walgreens downloads were recorded by the AETC in the first 100 days. Feedback has shown that pharmacists are pleased to have this information available at their fingertips, and have found the card to be a valuable resource. This week the AETC added its “Antiretroviral Agents - Pediatric Edition” to the Walgreens terminals. The relationship will continue as new AETC resources are developed.

Click here to view all clinical pocket reference guides.

(Tampa, FL - October 1, 2005) Michael Knox, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Director, announced that the USF Center for HIV Education and Research has received a grant of $115,000 to increase the number of physicians capable of diagnosing and treating mental health and substance abuse disorders among HIV infected patients. Funding is provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through a supplement to the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) grant.

Dr. Knox will serve as the Principal Investigator and Julie Baldwin, Ph.D., Professor of Community and Family Health, will provide leadership and coordination of the project. In addition, Martha Friedrich, Ph.D., Associate Director of the AETC, will help design a comprehensive approach to evaluate the project using outcome-based performance measurements. Department of Psychiatry faculty who will also have a major role in the project include Drs. Frank Fernandez (Chair), Carlos Santana, and Orlando Ruano. The grant work began in October.

Following an initial needs assessment related to HIV/AIDS and mental health co-morbidities, faculty will develop curricula and conduct several trainings for health care professionals who provide services for HIV infected patients throughout Florida and Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands

(Tampa, FL - July 1, 2005) Dr. Michael Knox, founder and director of the USF Center for HIV Education and Research, announced today that the center has been awarded a highly competitive, five year grant to provide HIV/AIDS training to healthcare providers in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, a region that ranks among the top ten states/territories affected by HIV. Awarded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the grant is the largest in the Center's history, and will allow for continuation and further development of its Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC).

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USF HIV Center Receives $350,000 Grant for Perinatal HIV Prevention Project

(Tampa, FL - July 1, 2005) The USF Center for HIV Education and Research has been awarded $350,000 by the Florida Department of Health. According to Dr. Michael Knox, director of the USF Center, “ Florida ranks second in the country for total HIV/AIDS pediatric cases. Of these cases, 94% were infected by perinatal transmission. This is particularly troubling when considering perinatal transmission of HIV can be prevented,” added Dr. Knox.

The Perinatal HIV Prevention Project will be coordinated by Shalewa Noel-Thomas, MPH. “Its primary purpose is to provide Perinatal HIV education to healthcare workers, review clinical procedures and protocols for HIV infected pregnant women, as well as provide training and technical assistance regarding Rapid HIV Testing,” stated Ms. Noel-Thomas. The funding was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through a state of Florida contract.