The AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETCs) Program is a network of regional and national centers that train health care providers to treat persons with HIV/AIDS. As the clinical training component of the Ryan White Program, AETCs seek to improve health outcomes of people living with HIV/AIDS through training on clinical management of HIV disease in such areas as use of antiretroviral therapies and prevention of HIV transmission. During the 2005-2006 grant year, more than 118,760 participants attended AETC training events. The program targets providers who treat minority, underserved, and vulnerable populations in communities most affected by the HIV epidemic. Focus of Provider Training Innovative training methods-skill-building workshops and clinical practice placements-augment traditional didactic education. AETCs also provide clinical consultation and decision support to clinicians regarding care and the use of antiretroviral therapies and technical assistance in improving service delivery at the organizational level. [D]

AETC Provider Training Network Regional AETCs AETC National Resource Center National HIV/AIDS Clinicians' Consultation Center   - Warmline 800-933-3413   - PEPline 888-448-4911   - Perinatal Hotline 888-448-8765 National Minority AETC National AETC Evaluation Center International Training and Education Center on HIV

• Training targets health care providers who serve minority populations, the homeless, rural communities, incarcerated persons, and Ryan White-funded sites.
• The AETCs focus on training a clinical core of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, as well as other paraprofessionals.
• Training activities are based upon assessed local needs.
• Emphasis is placed on interactive, hands-on training and clinical consultation to assist providers with complex issues related to the management of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
• The AETCs collaborate with Ryan White-funded organizations, area health education centers, community-based HIV/AIDS organizations, community and migrant health centers, and medical and health professional organizations.
• Clinicians trained by AETCs have been shown to be more competent with regard to HIV issues and more willing to treat persons living with HIV than other primary care providers

AETC Training Network
AETC training is through a network of 11 regional centers (and over 130 local performance sites) serving the nation. Four national centers also support this network of provider training through sharing of resources and training strategies.

• The 11 Regional AETCs serve multi-state areas, covering all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the six U.S. Pacific Jurisdictions. Their focus is on rapid dissemination of state-of-the-art information on HIV clinical management by linking HIV expertise from academic and highly skilled community HIV clinicians and/or tertiary level medical institutions to front line HIV clinical care providers who serve minority and disproportionately affected populations.
• AETC National Resource Center (NRC) disseminates training resources and the latest HIV clinical information across the family of AETCs via such venues as the NRC website, which is a central repository of AETC training materials, best practices, and contact information.
• National HIV/AIDS Clinicians' Consultation Center (NCCC) provides health care providers with timely and appropriate responses to clinical questions related to treatment of persons with HIV infection. Components include the following:
• National HIV Telephone Consultation Service (Warmline) (800-933-3413) offers physicians and other health care providers with answers to routine HIV management questions.
• National Clinicians' Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) (888-448-4911) offers treating clinicians around-the-clock advice on managing occupational exposures (e.g., needlesticks, splashes) to HIV, hepatitis, and other blood-borne pathogens.
• National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service (Perinatal Hotline) ( 888-448-8765) provides 24-hour clinical consultation and advice on perinatal transmission, counseling and testing, prophylaxis, and perinatal patient management.
• National Minority AETC (NMAETC) builds capacity for HIV care and training among minority health care professionals and health care professionals serving communities of color.
• National AETC Evaluation Center is responsible for program evaluation activities, including assessing the effectiveness of AETCs grantees education, training, and consultation activities.