At Project ACE, our core mission is to reduce HIV-related stigma and advance health equity across Canada. We are incredibly proud to announce the publication of our comprehensive study protocol in JMIR Research Protocols, sharing the foundational roadmap of our multi-city initiative, co-authored by Professor Josephine P. Wong and the Co-PA Team members:

“Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment Intervention to Reduce HIV Stigma and Promote Community Resilience: Protocol for an Implementation Study”
DOI: 10.2196/80669

Key Takeaways:

• The ACE Framework: The protocol details our 6-session virtual intervention which uniquely pairs the psychological flexibility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with collective, social-justice oriented community empowerment.
• 6-City Reach: The study outlines how we are adapting, rolling out, and evaluating this evidence-based intervention across six Canadian sites: Calgary, Edmonton, London, Ottawa, Niagara, and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
• Sustainable Capacity Building: Utilizing a “train-the-trainer” model, the protocol highlights our methodology for equipping 48 frontline healthcare workers and community leaders to become sustainable, localized ACE Community Facilitators.

This publication marks a pivotal milestone for our team, ensuring our scientific frameworks and implementation steps are transparently documented as we continue our work on the ground.

Read the full article: To explore our complete research design, conceptual frameworks, and multi-phase evaluation strategies, access the complete protocol via JMIR Research Protocols.