The PEER Center aimed to improve HIV-related health outcomes for communities of color and reduce health disparities through HIV peer education by:

  • Providing training and education to HIV peer educators
  • Replicating successful peer education programs through training-of-trainers
  • Building capacity in existing HIV/AIDS peer programs or in organizations developing a peer program

The PEER Center was funded through the Minority AIDS Initiative, Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The PEER Center developed training and organizational resources and provided support to help agencies and communities launch a peer program, or strengthen one that was already in place to engage and retain people living with HIV in care treatment. Through the PEER Center we collaborated with the Justice Resource Institute (JRI), and three national peer education, training and capacity-building sites.

Project Impact

The PEER Center and the Peer Education Training sites provided technical assistance to approximately 60 organizations and trained nearly 800 people living with HIV to be peer educators at their organizations. The PEER Center website has had visitors from all of the 50 United States, Puerto Rico and 158 countries across the globe. Our resources have been downloaded by organizations and individuals in 29 countries.

Project Team Members

  • Serena Rajabiun
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health at University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Affiliated Faculty and Principal Investigator