S4 E8 Intimacy Starts with I: Women, Self-Love, and HIV with Michelle Lopez

CW: Mention of abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, incest, molestation

At 24 years old, in the early 90’s, Michelle Lopez was riding a train in New York with her newborn baby and saw an advertisement that spoke to her. It said, “If you’re a woman and you’re enduring substance abuse, homelessness, or battery, call this number.” Michelle picked up a phone and began her new life. Her and her daughter were diagnosed with HIV, and it was her mission to get clean, understand her own trauma, and help others with similar stories.

Michelle, a bisexual Caribbean woman, realized that women living with HIV continue to be ostracized for both wanting and having sex. Michelle knew she had to combat this and teach herself and others about self-love, pleasure, and intimacy. She has spent her career advocating for HIV prevention and treatment, women’s health, mental health, sexuality, and how to unlearn feelings of shame. She says, “I recognized getting clean would give me more power to fight against situations and circumstances and stand up for my rights. I had to learn what it is to love Michelle and deal with the trauma that I endured.” Michelle shares how she utilizes her experiences from childhood to the present to educate others through clinical work, research, and advocacy. Her story is one of empowerment, celebration, and making lemonade with the lemons she was given.

Download the transcript of this episode.

Resources:

Michelle Lopez LinkedIn

CAPTC World AIDS Day Page

HIV.gov

Bio:

Michelle Lopez is a tireless advocate for public health among Black and Latinx communities. Over the last 30 years, Michelle has worked in HIV and AIDS prevention and health care navigation and substance use services. Michelle has served on boards of directors and advised on policy development that impacts the lives of marginalized communities. Michelle is now focusing on research designs methodology to meaningfully engages community members.

STI Expert Hour Webinar on Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis: Promise, Opportunities, and Considerations for Implementation

Friday, April 28, 2023, 12:45PM-2:00PM (PDT)
Learn about doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP), the newest innovation in the world of biomedical approaches to preventing sexually transmitted infections.Presentation by Stephanie Cohen, MD, MPH, Medical Director, San Francisco City Clinic & Director, STI Prevention and Control Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health
1.25 CME units at no cost.

Learning Objectives

Summarize data from recent studies exploring the use of doxyPEP to prevent bacterial STIs
Explore potential implications of and strategies for doxyPEP implementation in clinical settings

Please note: CME units not available for viewing the recording of the webinar

STI Clinical Update Webinar-Back to Basics: Fundamentals of STI/HIV Prevention

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 12:00-1:15PM (PDT)
A review of screening, treatment, and vaccination tools to prevent STIs and HIV.
Presented by Drs. Caterina Liu and Kurtis Mohr

Learning Objectives:

Review screening and treatment guidance for STIs and HIV.
Integrate biochemical prevention tools for STIs and HIV into clinical practice.
Summarize recommendations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, meningitis, and mpox vaccination.

Long-Acting Injectable PrEP

Resources and updates from the CAPTC’s Long-Acting Injectable PrEP Learning Collaborative to support clinics and navigators.

Includes Clinical and Access and Financing FAQs in English and Español, as well as clinical protocols and other resources.

Visit site

The Modernization of HIV Laws in Nevada; Changing Legislature

Andre Wade provides an overview of how the state of Nevada addressed a structural barrier to HIV prevention and care by modernizing its HIV duty to warn laws. HIV criminalization laws, a.k.a. duty to warn, were established across the nation in the early 1990’s as part of the 1990 Ryan White CARE Act – requiring states to certify that they had adequate laws in place to prosecute individuals who knowingly exposed another person to HIV. These outdated and discriminatory laws aided in increasing HIV stigma, hindered disclosure of HIV status, and created barriers to access to HIV prevention and care services.

Watch all recorded videos from our Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention and Care Virtual Institute.

View video

PrEP Financing Resources

Resources and updates from the CAPTC’s PrEP Financing Learning Collaborative to support clinics and navigators with PrEP financing questions.

Includes information on California’s PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP), other resources for covering the cost of PrEP, billing resources, and other coverage information for patients and providers.

Visit Site

Opt-Out ED Screening for HIV, HCV, and Syphilis—Dear Colleague Letter from CDPH

March 28, 2022: Emergency departments (EDs) are uniquely positioned to identify people with syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis C who otherwise might remain undiagnosed. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends that EDs consider implementing routine opt-out testing for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis C.

Identification and immediate treatment through the ED may have the added benefit of furthering health equity for those disproportionately affected by these infections

Download PDF

Home Training STI Expert Hour Webinar: Why the Dose Matters: PrEP Strategies for HIV

STI Expert Hour Webinar: Why the Dose Matters: PrEP Strategies for HIV

January 11, 2022

Presented by Katherine Yang, PharmD, MPH

Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing HIV infection. With recent updates in PrEP, many options are available, and selection of the best regimen is the key to success. The purpose of this webinar is to review the pharmacologic basis for drug dosing and outline gaps and challenges in management.

Learning objectives

Review the key pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide, and cabotegravir.
Identify patients who may be appropriate for Daily vs. Event-Driven PrEP.
Review key side effects of PrEP and potential strategies for management.
Describe the role of adherence on PrEP effectiveness.

2021 PrEP Clinical Practice Guideline – Clinical Providers’ Supplement

Updated Clinical Providers’ Supplement accompanying the 2021 PrEP Clinical Practice Guideline.

Updates for 2021 include:

Checklist updated to include Descovy, 2-1-1 Truvada for MSM, and cabotegravir
Added PrEP with intramuscular cabotegravir (CAB) injections (conditional on FDA approval) recommendation for HIV prevention in adults
Added information about Descovy and cabotegravir to Patient Information Sheets

Download PDF

2021 PrEP Clinical Practice Guideline

Comprehensive information for the use of antiretroviral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent acquiring HIV infection.

Updates for 2021 include:

A recommendation to inform all sexually active adults and adolescents about PrEP
PrEP with intramuscular cabotegravir (CAB) injections (conditional on FDA approval) is recommended for HIV prevention in adults reporting sexual behaviors that place them at substantial ongoing risk of HIV exposure and acquisition.

Also view the updated PrEP Providers Supplement for 2021.

Download PDF

Comprehensive information for the use of antiretroviral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent acquiring HIV infection.

Updates for 2021 include:

A recommendation to inform all sexually active adults and adolescents about PrEP
PrEP with intramuscular cabotegravir (CAB) injections (conditional on FDA approval) is recommended for HIV prevention in adults reporting sexual behaviors that place them at substantial ongoing risk of HIV exposure and acquisition.

Also view the updated PrEP Providers Supplement for 2021.