Six MaineHealth representatives were selected to serve on a national advisory council that aims to improve HIV outcomes among people who are unsheltered — one of the most medically marginalized populations in the U.S., according to a news release.
The initiative focuses on developing and evaluating street-based models of care that connect people with HIV who are unsheltered, or not consistently engaged in care, with lifesaving treatment.
“Street medicine programs — care delivered directly in encampments, on the street and in other nontraditional settings — have emerged as a critical strategy for reaching people who cannot reliably access brick-and-mortar services,” said Dr. Alex Keuroghlian, chief of MaineHealth Behavioral Health and principal investigator.
The four-year project is funded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and runs through July 2029.
Other MaineHealth representatives on the council are Stephen Rawlings, Kinna Thakarar, Adam Normandin, Malia Haddock and Tobias Nicholson. Courtney Plasden, medical director at MaineCare, is also on the council.
Over the next four years, members will advise on implementation strategies, review program models and help guide national dissemination efforts.
The program is administered by the Fenway Institute in Boston. Nine organizations across the U.S. began the pre‑implementation phase in late 2025 and will proceed with client enrollment, intervention testing and evaluation at nine sites, in Dallas, Texas; New Haven, Conn.; Oakland, Sacramento, Commerce and Los Angeles, Calif.; Bloomington, Ind.; Newark, N.J.; and Omaha, Neb.
MaineHealth is Maine’s largest health system, with more than 2,000 providers and approximately 23,000 care team members.
