Marriott Courtyard Hotel
June 2, 2010, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

In keeping with the theme of Evidence into Action,  the 2010 Summit will be preceded by two full-day Learning Institutes designed to build the capacity of participants in evidence-based practice that targets housing as a key social determinant of HIV risk and health outcomes.  There is no additional charge for the Learning Institutes but pre-registration is required.

Institute A: Evidence-based Best Practices for Housing as HIV Prevention and Care

The purpose of this Institute is to provide a forum where housing programs, supportive housing programs and other community agencies can share best practices in using research findings to improve service delivery and health outcomes of people with HIV or at risk. This Institute is being developed in response to a specific request by the 2009 Summit Institute participants for evidence-based best practices in housing service delivery.

The Institute will incorporate a mixed method of learning styles, including presentations, panels, case studies and small group discussions. In addition to learning about effective models of service, participants will have an opportunity to review tool kits/resources developed as a result of research studies and discuss effective ways to implement research findings into their programs. The Institute will also include practical training in ongoing monitoring and evaluation of programs, services and interventions, and in sharing evaluation results to improve best practices.

Institute B: Examining Structural HIV Interventions: Methodological Challenges

Housing status is a key structural factor that predicts HIV prevention and disease management outcomes in North America. To date, researchers have done an effective job of documenting the problems and needs of people with or at risk of HIV. Now, they are turning their attention to examining the impact of structural housing interventions or identifying effective solutions – similar to the approach used to identify effective behavioural interventions. However, the challenges to studying and assessing structural interventions are different from those involved in behavioural interventions. Each structural program or intervention is influenced by a number of factors that researchers may not be able to control for, including the local housing market, the larger service delivery system, community funding, and institutional capacity. These factors can affect impact and results and make it difficult to compare or replicate interventions.

Since the first Summit meeting in 2005, participating researchers have asked for a learning session dedicated to discussing methodological issues or studying structural intervention as well as appropriate outcomes measures and other challenges. The Learning Institute will provide a forum for a facilitated conversation among researchers that has the potential to advance the field and yield results that can be used to identify best practices in structural interventions. Participants will be introduced to the methodologies currently being used in intervention research studies, explore their advantages and disadvantages, and learn how to evaluate their effectiveness.

Registration

Participants can register for a Learning Institute workshop when they register for the Summit.  Note that space is limited and institute registration will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.