2026 USCHA Abstracts for Institutes (New!)
The USCHA 2026 Program Planning Committee has issued the Call for Abstracts to solicit proposals from people interested in convening an Institute at USCHA.
When preparing abstracts, please follow all guidelines outlined in this site and submit required materials by May 31, 2026. The committee will notify those accepted as presenters well in advance of the conference dates and send them information concerning all applicable registration and presentation confirmation details.
What is an Abstract?
A conference abstract is a document that pitches a presentation, workshop or poster for a conference. It outlines the topic, approach, and how the session will benefit attendees. The goal is to convince the program planning committee that the session is relevant and valuable to their audience.
An abstract is a powerful way to share your skills, ideas, and experiences with the diverse community that comes together at USCHA. It offers a clear structure to present your work in a way that is engaging, accessible, and meaningful across disciplines, roles, and lived experiences.We encourage you to review the seven tracks for USCHA 2026 and submit an abstract that aligns with one of these areas.
What is an Institute?
An institute is an in-depth, highly interactive learning session designed to build practical skills and deepen understanding of a specific topic. Institutes go beyond traditional presentations by focusing on hands-on learning, active participation, and real-world application.
These sessions are structured to support step-by-step learning and may include guided exercises, case studies, small group work, and facilitated discussion. Participants should leave with concrete tools, strategies, or approaches they can apply in their work or communities.
Institutes are best suited for topics that require deeper exploration, skill-building, or training. Unlike workshops, which introduce or explore a topic, institutes are designed to develop and strengthen specific skills or practices.
For USCHA 2026, institutes are offered as extended sessions lasting 3 hours.
2026 USCHA Tracks
The 2026 USCHA theme is “United and Unbreakable: The HIV Movement at 45” and many tracks are aligned with this theme. You can pick any of these tracks to base your abstract on. While you can submit multiple abstracts, you have to select one track for each abstract.
Track 1: Whole Person Health: Prevention and Care Without Silos
This track brings together whole-person health and syndemic approaches to HIV prevention and care. It focuses on integrated, person-centered models that address physical, mental, behavioral, and social health alongside interconnected epidemics. Sessions will highlight coordinated care strategies that break down silos, strengthen continuity of care, and respond to the realities of overlapping health needs. Emphasis will be placed on trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and community-centered approaches that improve health outcomes for all communities.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that reflect integrated, person-centered approaches addressing physical, mental, behavioral, and social determinants of health through coordinated, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive HIV prevention and care models.
Track 2: Unbreakable Bridges: Closing the Gap in Healthcare
This track centers on advancing and protecting the progress in access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. It explores strategies to address persistent gaps shaped by structural (and social) determinants of health. Grounded in the HIV movement’s history of advocacy, sessions will focus on actionable solutions that expand access for historically underserved communities and reinforce the collective responsibility to ensure no one is left behind.
What to include: We encourage submissions that highlight practical, actionable strategies to improve access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Abstracts should describe ongoing gaps in access and the factors that contribute to them, along with approaches that reach communities most affected by HIV. Submissions may also reflect the role of partnerships and community engagement in expanding access and ensuring no one is left behind.
Track 3: The Power of Us: Storytelling and Community Engagement
This track uplifts the leadership, advocacy, and organizing power of communities most impacted by HIV. Reflecting 45 years of community-driven progress, it highlights grassroots mobilization, leadership development and storytelling as essential forces in sustaining and advancing the HIV response. Sessions will explore how community leadership continues to shape solutions, hold systems accountable, and drive the movement forward in complex times.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that highlight community-led leadership, storytelling, and engagement strategies that inspire action and center the experiences of people most affected by HIV. Abstracts may describe how communities share their stories, build leadership, and work together to shape solutions and move efforts forward.
Track 4: Unbreakable Foundations: Strengthening Organizational Capacity
This track focuses on strengthening the systems, workforce, and infrastructure that sustain the HIV response. It emphasizes building resilient, adaptable, and well-supported organizations capable of responding to emerging challenges. Sessions will address capacity-building, workforce development, funding models, and operational excellence to ensure long-term impact and a durable foundation for ending the epidemic.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that focus on strengthening organizational systems, workforce, and infrastructure through capacity-building, sustainable funding, and operational strategies that support long-term impact.
Track 5: Turning Evidence into Impact through Science and Policy
This track bridges research, policy, and practice by focusing on how scientific advances and evidence-based interventions are translated into real-world impact. The track underscores the importance of advancing and safeguarding science-driven approaches and policies through effective implementation. Sessions will highlight innovation, scale-up strategies, and the translation of evidence into better health outcomes and the use of evidence and data to advance policy.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that focus on translating research and evidence into policy and practice through implementation strategies, data-driven decision-making, and approaches that advance better health outcomes.
Track 6: Crosscutting Track: The Future of the Movement, Innovation, Urgency & What’s Next
This crosscutting track looks toward the future of the HIV movement by centering emerging leaders, innovation, and urgency. Building upon 45 years of progress, it explores bold strategies, new ideas, and evolving approaches needed to end the epidemic. Sessions will highlight the importance of unity, intergenerational leadership, and sustained community engagement to ensure the movement remains strong, and unbreakable for decades to come.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that focus on innovative, forward-looking approaches that elevate emerging leadership, accelerate progress, and shape the future of the HIV movement with urgency and collaboration.
Track 7: Advancing HIV Care: Clinical Updates Pathway
Designed for healthcare professionals, this clinical update series delivers concise, evidence-based updates in HIV prevention, treatment, and care, with accredited continuing medical education for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other members of the care team. Grounded in a person-centered approach and shaped by the USCHA community context, it integrates lived experience and real-world implementation into clinical decision-making, highlighting emerging science and evolving standards of care through case-based, interactive sessions that engage clinicians across levels of experience.
What to include in your abstract: We encourage submissions that focus on innovative, forward-looking approaches that elevate emerging leadership, accelerate progress, and shape the future of the HIV movement with urgency and collaboration.
Abstract Formats
Abstract I: For Proposals on a Specific Program, Project or Study
Title: Titles limited to 20 words
I. Institute Description: Describe the purpose of the program, project or study. (limited to 100 words)
II. Methods: Briefly describe the methods or strategies used in the program. (limited to 200 words)
III. Results: Describe the objective outcomes of the program, project or study. Include quantifiable data, if possible. (limited to 200 words)
IV. Conclusions: State the conclusions reached as a result of the program. (limited to 100 words)
Abstract II: For Proposals Addressing a Broader Issue Area, Problem or Community Need
Title: Titles limited to 20 words
I. Institute Description: Identify the topic of the proposed presentation. (limited to 100 words)
II. Issues: Dictating the specific issues, problems or needs it will teach or discuss. (limited to 200 words)
III. Learning Objectives: Describe what the audience will learn from the presentation. (limited to 100 words)
IV. Strategies, Methods, Models, Examples: Provide information about the teaching or discussion strategies and methods that will be employed. Include models or examples, if possible. (limited to 200 words)
Abstract Submission Deadlines
- 31, May, 2026– Abstract Submissions deadline
- 25, June, 2026– Abstract Notifications sent to submitter by NMAC
- 3, July, 2026 – Deadline for presenter acceptance notification and submission of conflict of interest disclosure form.
Abstract Development Guidelines
- Presentation Titles are Limited to 20 words or less
- Institute descriptions are limited to 100 words. This description, if accepted, will be used on all official publications.
- Abstract Formats
- Scientific based
- Community Based
- Institutes (3 hours): Institutes are in-depth, highly interactive sessions designed to build practical skills and deepen understanding of a specific topic. Submissions should emphasize hands-on learning, active participation, and real-world application, incorporating elements such as guided exercises, case studies, small group work, and facilitated discussion. Institutes should support step-by-step learning and ensure participants leave with concrete tools, strategies, or approaches they can apply in their work or communities. These sessions are best suited for topics that require deeper exploration, skill-building, or training, rather than introductory overviews.
- Presentation Levels: Indicate the intended level (novice, intermediate, advanced) based on the knowledge and experience required for participants to engage with the content.
- Institute Tracks: A range of tracks is available. Abstracts may be submitted to one track only, based on the best fit.
- Abstracts must be non-promotional and aligned with the scientific and community focus of USCHA 2026. Submissions primarily intended to market or promote a product will not be accepted. All relevant financial relationships must be disclosed. Abstracts led solely by pharmaceutical industry representatives are not eligible for institute sessions but may be considered if they include meaningful collaboration with community, public health, or academic partners.
Abstract Submission Tips
- Start Early: Give yourself enough time to plan, write, and revise your abstract.
- Choose a topic you know well. Focus on a program, project, or issue you have direct experience with or knowledge about.
- Select the best track. Review the USCHA 2026 track topics and choose the one that best fits your submission.
- Submit your abstract to one track only.
- Do not submit the same abstract more than once
- Submit completed work. We encourage abstracts that include final results or clear outcomes. “Work in progress” submissions are discouraged.
- Prepare your abstract before submitting. Write and save your abstract in a document (such as Word) before entering it into the submission system.
- Use clear language.
- Spell out acronyms the first time you use them
- Avoid jargon or unclear terms
- Be direct and stay focused on your main points
- Write clear learning objectives. Describe what participants will learn from your session (for example, skills, knowledge, or strategies they can apply).
- Review and edit carefully.
- Check for spelling and grammar errors
- Make sure your ideas are easy to understand
- Ask for feedback. Have a colleague, collaborator, or community partner review your abstract to ensure it is clear and concise.
You’ve Submitted, What’s Next
Decisions will be sent to all applicants on or about June 25, 2026. Please check your spam and junk folders to ensure you get the Abstract notification email. NMAC emails are often blocked from main inboxes.
If selected, USCHA will provide workshop submitters with (1) complimentary registration and up to two nights of hotel accommodation for the accepted abstract. Presenters are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodations. All co-presenters must register for the conference. We encourage you to plan ahead so co-presenters can take advantage of early bird registration rates.
Institute Guidelines
- Institute sessions are 3 hours in length, and presenters should be prepared to engage participants for the full duration.
- All meeting rooms will be equipped with projectors, screens, and microphones. Presenters are encouraged to bring their own laptop to use during your presentation.
- Presenters should bring their presentation on a flash drive as a backup.
- Panel presentations should be limited to no more than four speakers.
- Institutes should be designed with the physical and technical limitations of the presentation room in mind, while allowing time for in-depth discussion and interactive engagement.
Contact
For information, updates, and questions about NMAC’s 2026 US Conference on HIV/AIDS, please email conferences@nmac.org.
