Pacific AETC – Northern California
Pacific AIDS Education & Training Center - Northern California
The Pacific AETC – Northern California region serves healthcare providers across Northern California, spanning from the Oregon border to Kings and Tulare Counties, and from the Pacific coast to the Nevada border. The region encompasses both the San Francisco Bay Area — an epicenter of HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic and home to a rich history of cutting-edge HIV research, care, treatment, and prevention — and the diverse communities of the Central Valley and Northern Interior, including high-volume urban HIV clinics and low-volume rural and correctional healthcare settings.
Faculty include clinicians affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, as well as community faculty with lived experience — including those working in community-based organizations and individuals who share the experiences of the communities we serve. Together, they bring expertise across the full spectrum of HIV care and prevention and provide training and technical assistance tailored to the diverse healthcare settings across the region, from urban safety-net clinics to rural community health centers.
Programs focus on HIV prevention, clinical management of HIV/AIDS, and related co-morbidities including mental health, substance use disorder, and sexually transmitted infections. Training and professional development activities include didactic sessions, workshops, conferences, mentoring, clinical preceptorships, on-site clinical mentoring, consultations, and telehealth programs and webinars. Programming is designed to reach the whole care team — frontline workers, clinicians, and managers — and utilize interactive, up-to-date training methodologies designed to give busy providers the most current information needed to deliver quality HIV prevention and care.
Pacific AETC – Northern California staff are also trained to deliver the Patient Engagement Skills Training Series, which equips healthcare teams with practical tools and approaches including inclusive practices, social determinants of health, motivational interviewing, and whole person care. These trainings support providers in building meaningful, person-centered relationships with patients impacted by HIV and addressing the broader factors that shape health outcomes.
In addition, faculty provide practice transformation and clinic capacity building assistance — including clinical quality improvement and systems development — to maximize each organization’s ability to improve outcomes along the HIV prevention and care continuum.
Counties Served
Alameda, Amador, Alpine, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba Counties.
Our Vision:
We envision health systems that work collaboratively to address long-standing challenges and provide innovative, patient-centered care.
Our Mission:
To expand and empower healthcare teams to provide patient-centered care, eliminate HIV stigma, and achieve optimal health outcomes for all.
Our Core Values:
We are Building Partnership.
Through collective effort, shared goals, and mutual support, we create opportunities to innovate and collaborate across stakeholders.
We are Advancing Inclusive Practices.
We recognize the impact of social context on health outcomes and aim to address long-standing challenges by mitigating barriers to care.
We are Community Driven.
Our work is stronger when we let the experiences of community lead the way.
We are Culturally Responsive.
We believe that responding to each individual as a whole person, honoring their identity, and examining our biases will minimize harm, decrease health disparities, and provide the most inclusive HIV care possible.
Contact Information:
For all inquiries, please contact paetc-norcal@ucsf.edu
Pacific AETC’s HIV Essentials and Quick Clinical Guides (Updated)
The Pacific AETC‘s HIV Essentials and Quick HIV Clinical Guides compilation consists of seven of our most popular clinical reference guides used in primary care, urgent care, and emergency room clinical settings. The recommendations are based on HRSA, CDC, IDSA, IAS-USA, and WHO guidelines, along with current practices used by our expert clinicians. This compilation starts with two “Essentials” documents which can be printed on single letter-sized pieces of paper and folded into a pocket for quick reference during a busy clinic. The protocols and quick clinical guides provide more details for implementation, and each document can be printed separately and used on their own.
Past Events Resources
Event Name: HIV 101: Foundations
Date: May 1, 2026
Description: HIV care does not occur in isolation from patients’ lived experiences of violence, control, and structural inequity. Intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion can undermine ART adherence, PrEP use, pregnancy planning, and engagement in care. This workshop provides HIV clinicians with a person-centered framework to recognize when “non-adherence” may reflect safety concerns rather than lack of motivation. Through case vignettes and practical communication strategies, participants will develop skills to assess medication safety, integrate IPV screening into routine visits, and strengthen referrals and systems-level responses within clinic settings.
Presenter: Kentaro Kaneko, NP, AACRN, AAHIVS
Learning Objectives:
- Explain HIV biology, disease progression, and the importance of treatment in plain language accessible to patients
- Describe complications associated with advanced and stable chronic HIV —including opportunistic infections, cardiovascular disease, and malignancy — and communicate their relevance to patients
- Translate current evidence on HIV transmission and prevention, including Undetectable = Untransmittable, into accurate responses to common patient questions
- Identify evidence-based strategies for HIV prevention — including PrEP, PEP, and treatment as prevention — and recognize when to connect patients with appropriate services
Event Name: Let’s Talk About PrEP
Date: March 6, 2026
Description: Reflecting on local HIV epidemiology, participants will expand their understanding of who may be candidates for PrEP. Participants will review practical workflows for PrEP starts, from HIV testing to selecting oral or injectable PrEP regimens, including recent updates. Participants will learn clinical tips and drug information throughout the presentation.
Presenter: Emiliano Lemus, MD, MS, AAHIVS
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the demographic characteristics of those who are most impacted by new HIV diagnoses in Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
- Explain characteristics of four types of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
- Apply the procedures for PrEP assessment and clinical starts, including patient sexual health assessments, labs, and medication initiation.
Event Name: Promoting Healthy Aging in People with HIV (PWH)
Date: February 26, 2026
Description: In this training, participants will enhance their ability to identify key immunizations, recognize differences in cancer screening recommendations, and assess comorbid conditions that require increased vigilance in aging populations. Participants will also gain access to valuable resources and practical strategies to strengthen their knowledge and skills in delivering effective primary care for PWH.
Presenter: Kristina Crichton, MSN, FNP-C
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the concept of “Inflamm-Aging” and its interaction with HIV
- Identify the importance of immunization for PWH
- Distinguish differences in cancer screening recommendations for PWH
- Assess for comorbid conditions that require heightened attention and screening for PWH, especially as they age
- Access resources that will increase knowledge and skills to provide primary care for PWH
Event Name: HIV Prevention and Care: Clinical and Community Basics and Updates
Date: January 27, 2026
Description: In this training, participants will review knowledge and skills important to working with people with HIV (PWH). The presentation will cover how to take a sexual history, best approaches for HIV testing, prevention, and treatment, and the importance of cultural sensitivity and stigma reduction for PWH. This training is appropriate for all members of the healthcare team.
Presenter: Emiliano Lemus, MD, MS, AAHIVS
Learning Objectives:
- Describe best practices in taking sexual health history for people living with HIV or who are potentially at risk for HIV.
- Explain characteristics of four types of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
- Identify steps and options for HIV treatment starts and re-starts.
Event Name: Sexual Health Summit 2025 – Sacramento Prevention Coalition
Date: December 15, 2025
Description: The Summit will equip providers with practical tools to expand HIV and STI prevention. Speakers include local experts on PrEP innovations like long-acting injectables, and gain evidence-based strategies to overcome stigma, insurance barriers, and more.
Presenters:
- Tiffani Berra, DPT, MS, MPH – Epidemiologist, Sacramento County Public Health Department
- Nikki Stolp, MPH – HIV/STD Surveillance Coordinator, Sacramento County Public Health Department
- Joy Dray, Pharm.D., BCAP, AAHIVP – UC Davis Medical Center
- Clint Hopkins, Pharm.D. – Pucci’s Pharmacy
- Christopher B. Amaral, Pharm.D. – Chief, Pharmacy Drug Contracting Branch, Medi-Cal Pharmacy Benefits Division, Medi-Cal Rx, DHCS
- Alejandro Contreras, MSW, ASW – Chief, Strategic Development Unit (SDU), AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Branch
- Matt Avila – PrEP-AP Health Program Specialist, California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS
- Matthew Jara – Program Advisor, California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS
- Jacob Bradley-Rowe, CNE – Executive Director, Sunburst Projects
- Clarmundo Sullivan, M.Ed., BSW – Founder & Executive Director, Golden Rule Services
- Ravneel Singh, PA – WellSpace Health
- Nancy Dueñez – PrEP Navigator, Sacramento County Public Health Department
Learning Objectives:
- Describe at least two current trends in HIV and STI epidemiology in Sacramento County
- Distinguish the various methods for HIV and STI prevention
- Describe the key components of the Medi-Cal Rx Program and ways to utilize it to support PrEP uptake
- Assess the structure and strategies of at least two local PrEP program models
Event Name: Neurocognition in HIV
Date: November 20, 2025
Description: Explore the impact of HIV on brain health as people age with HIV. Learn about the latest research on neurocognitive changes in people with HIV (PWH), practical strategies for early identification and management, and approaches to support optimal cognitive functioning and quality of life. This training will equip healthcare and service providers with the knowledge and tools to better assess, monitor, and promote brain health in aging PWH through compassionate, evidence-based care.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the prevalence of HIV HIV-associated neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) and dementia in people with HIV (PWH) in the combined anti-retroviral therapy (cART) era.
- Explain two areas of cognitive difficulty in PWH in the cART era.
- Describe the four steps of screening for cognitive change in PWH.
- Recall two possible recommendations to make for someone with HIV HIV-associated neurocognitive Disorder.
Event Name: Immunization Essentials for HIV Providers: 2025 Updates & Best Practices
Date: November 13, 2025
Description: This training will provide the latest immunization guidance to better protect people with HIV, including timely updates and practical strategies for integrating new vaccine recommendations into HIV care.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the most recent COVID-19 and influenza vaccination recommendations for people with HIV.
- Assess updated RSV vaccination guidance for older adults, including those living with HIV.
- Identify the latest pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccine options and their implications for HIV care.
Event Name: The Vital Role of Doulas Supporting People with HIV Through Pregnancy and Beyond
Date: November 12, 2025
Description: This session highlights how doulas can play a transformative role in supporting people with HIV through pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This training explores the intersection of HIV care and perinatal support, emphasizing compassionate, evidence-based, and family-centered approaches.
Presenter: Monica Hahn, MPH, MS, MD
Learning Objectives:
- Identify core concepts of HIV treatment and prevention, including modes of transmission, disease progression, and current treatment options.
- Recognize and discuss the impact of stigma on patient care and access to services for people living with HIV.
- Apply evidence-based guidelines to provide whole-person and family-centered HIV care during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods.
- Discuss recent updates and recommendations for infant feeding among people living with HIV.
Event Name: North Coast HIV Conference
Building Equitable Access to PrEP: A Necessary Step in HIV Prevention
Date: May 18, 2024 | Ukiah, CA
Description: The 2024 North Coast HIV Conference examined gaps in the use of PrEP for HIV prevention in the region. Although PrEP has been available since 2012, significant disparities in PrEP use continue to exist. Additionally, most PrEP in the United States is prescribed in specialty care settings; however, to end the HIV epidemic, it is necessary to expand PrEP services in a variety of health service settings with a focus on health equity. This event was designed for entire care teams responsible for engaging patients who may be vulnerable to or impacted by HIV in settings such as pharmacies, hospitals, emergency departments, primary care, public health, sexual assault response, harm reduction, and substance use treatment, correctional health, college, and university health, Ryan White funded sites, community health centers, and federally qualified health centers.
Learning Objectives:
1. Integrate person-first, non-stigmatizing language into everyday practice.
2. Identify at least two inequities seen in HIV prevalence and incidence in the North Coast region.
3. List at least two factors that contribute to HIV PrEP accessibility for patients.
4. Identify appropriate terminology to use when speaking to patients with substance use dependence and PrEP.
5. Demonstrate taking a culturally responsive sexual history for clinical decision-making and PrEP uptake.
Links to Slides
HIV/AIDS Trends in Northern CA Counties
Prepping for PrEP: Using Data and Process to Identify Patients
Words Matter: The impact of words in Medical Documentation
Program Team
Faculty
Samali Lubega MD AAHIVS
Deputy Medical Director
Suzanna Naramore, FNP
Faculty Member
Samali Lubega MD AAHIVS
Deputy Medical DirectorSuzanna Naramore, FNP
Faculty MemberClick on the Google Maps to interact with the map.
