Why Do We Use Syndemic Approaches?
HIV does not exist in a silo. Therefore, a “syndemic” approach to ending the epidemic is effective and essential. Syndemics occur when two or more health conditions impact the same individuals and communities because of social and structural factors, leading to an excess burden of disease and continuing health disparities.
NMAC’s Center to End the HIV Epidemic offers tailored technical assistance, capacity building, and leadership development services to organizations, institutions, and changemakers working at the intersection of health equity and systems change. Rooted in our commitment to addressing the syndemic drivers of poor health outcomes, our services are designed to strengthen community power, reimagine care infrastructures, and shift systems toward justice.
The Center is built upon decades of our capacity building expertise that strengthens organizational and individual leaders across the HIV movement. The Center is a national hub committed to advancing health equity by addressing the root causes of poor health outcomes through systems change, community power-building, and culturally grounded capacity-building approaches and technical training. Center Mission: We work at the heart of public health transformation—Using storytelling, systems-thinking, and implementation science to reshape systems and advance health justice for communities with the poorest health outcomes.
Center Mission: We work at the heart of public health transformation—Using storytelling, systems-thinking, and implementation science to reshape systems and advance health justice for communities with the poorest health outcomes.
Capacity Building Through Syndemic Approaches
Advancing Syndemic Approaches to HIV Care (HRSA)
NMAC is proud to partner with JSI (John Snow Inc) as part of the HRSA SPNS (Special Projects of National Significance) Project—A System-Level Syndemic Approach to Improve HIV Care and Treatment for People from Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. Through this collaboration, NMAC plays a pivotal role as co-Principal Investigator and strategic partner in JSI’s Evaluation and Technical Assistance Provider (ETAP) program, which is funded to strengthen HIV care systems and outcomes for communities that continue to face significant disparities.
This innovative project supports a cohort of six demonstration systems across the country, all working toward a common goal: to design, implement, and evaluate a syndemic approach that improves linkage and retention in care for HRSA’s Ryan White HIV Program’s eligible clients who are out of care or at risk of falling out of care.
Together with JSI and the demonstration sites, NMAC provides strategic leadership, technical assistance, and national dissemination support to advance this important work. Through this collaboration, NMAC is responsible for key activities, including:
Developing and sharing knowledge products and best practices through NMAC’s communication platforms and national conferences, including the United States Conference on HIV/AIDS and the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit.
- Serving on the project leadership team to help shape strategy and oversee project implementation.
- Leading the development and coordination of the project’s Advisory Board to ensure diverse and meaningful stakeholder input.
- Providing tailored technical assistance, leveraging subject matter expertise and national networks to support the demonstration sites in building integrated, community-informed approaches.
- Collaborating closely with JSI to design and deliver in-person and virtual technical assistance, annual site visits, and peer-focused Learning Sessions that foster shared learning across jurisdictions.