By Deondre Moore, U.S. Partnerships and Community Engagement Manager.

As conferences across the country begin to gear up for 2022, the Prevention Access Campaign – in partnership with Theratechnologies – makes its way to the first national HIV conference of the year – NAESM’s 2022 NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MSM LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON HEALTH DISPARITIES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE in Los Angeles, CA. PAC (thanks to the generous support of Theratechnologies) is set to take the main stage on Saturday, January 15, 2022, as the official sponsors of the morning breakfast plenary titled: “The Journey to 400,000: An Initiative to End the HIV Epidemic”.

On World AIDS Day 2021, the Prevention Access Campaign officially launched its next phase of the U.S. U=U movement, “The Journey to 400,000” which is a national public health initiative to increase viral suppression among the estimated 400,000 people living with HIV in the US who are not yet receiving optimal treatment, care, and services to reach viral suppression -- staying healthy and not having to worry about passing on HIV. The Journey to 400,000’s (or #JT400K) goals will be accomplished through testing and treatment initiatives, education and outreach, awareness campaigns, strengthening the HIV workforce with ongoing community engagement training efforts, and policy & advocacy activations across the country.

The Journey to 400,000 aims to impact all steps in the HIV care continuum from ensuring people are aware of their status, to care linkage, to retention in care and care re-engagement for those who have disengaged, and treatment adherence support.

Supporting all people living with HIV in the United States to achieve an undetectable and untransmittable viral load will benefit the individual and public health and decrease health care expenditures. The capacity of the HIV workforce will be strengthened to better serve the needs of people living with HIV across the continuum of care, leading to increased viral suppression rates.

In partnership with organizations such as AIDS United, PAC will engage policy leaders, including the Congressional HIV and AIDS Caucus, and state-level policymakers to provide them with education and underscore the importance of additional support and funding to address the unmet needs of people living with HIV.

PAC is pleased to discuss various components of the aforementioned alongside some of our amazing national community partners. PAC’s U.S. Partnerships & Community Engagement Manager – Deondre B. Moore will moderate this extremely important discussion and will be joined by AIDS United’s Vice President & Chief Advocacy Officer, Carl Baloney Jr. on the main stage as an official panelist to speak to share ways advocates and activists can better advocate at various levels (Federal, State, & Local) on behalf of PLWH and creating policy agendas for their communities

PAC is also thrilled to be joined by TruEvolution’s CEO Gabriel Maldonado to discuss best practices for linkage & re-engagement, as well as discuss how innovative housing initiatives play a role in the Journey to 400K. Of course, this session would not be complete without hearing the real-world experience of someone who has overcome obstacles, and whose resiliency continues to prevail. This is why the PAC is so thrilled to also be joined by their U=U Mississippi coordinator LS Jones to share his experience on his journey to reaching viral suppression.

We hope to see you all there and remember to use the hashtag #JT400K!