Latoya Small, assistant professor of social welfare at UCLA Luskin, has received a $47,500 grant from the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) Pilot Grant Program to study issues facing African American women living with HIV in Los Angeles urban communities. Specifically, the grant will focus on the intersection of HIV treatment adherence, mental health and poverty. “We plan to explore the lived experiences of these women to better understand barriers and supports to their treatment adherence,” Small said. The women will be asked about: their relationship with healthcare providers; accessibility of community-based medical and mental health services; processes involved in attending HIV-treatment appointments; perceived social support for treatment adherence; disclosing their HIV status to friends and family; and their symptoms of depression, anxiety and trauma. “We hope to inform future research as well as service providers about better ways to meet the unique needs of this population that must navigate the unique L.A. landscape of HIV service use,” Small said.