GMHC to Partner with Acria to End HIV Epidemic

Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization, today announced a new strategic partnership with ACRIA, a leading HIV research and education nonprofit, forging a link between both prominent groups working to end the AIDS epidemic and creating a new kind of service, research, and policy organization.

GMHC is commemorating its 35th anniversary this year and serves more than 12,600 clients annually with an array of critical services, including HIV prevention and testing, mental health and drug use counseling, and housing, legal, and nutrition services. Additionally, GMHC is active on the advocacy front, working on the city, state, and federal levels to advocate for evidence-based policies and legislation on behalf of its clients. ACRIA, founded in 1991, is internationally recognized for its national research expertise and work with long-term survivors and the aging, as well as its youth-focused initiatives that target at-risk populations, especially young people of color. With an integrated research, service, and policy agenda, GMHC will be able to scale up a number of its current services, offering an increased capacity for prevention and education services, program evaluation, and advocacy. GMHC will also be able to continue to evolve its targeted programming based on its new research capabilities. “We’re thrilled to partner with ACRIA, drawing on its critical research expertise as we work together to enhance our high-impact prevention, mental health, and substance use services,” said GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie. “With the ACRIA team under our tent, we will collaborate on new research-driven care and prevention programs tailored for at-risk populations and long-term survivors, as well as evolve some of our existing programs to help maximize their impact. This combined research-service approach will bring us closer to our goal to end the AIDS epidemic in New York State by 2020, and to make new inroads in other communities across the country.”