UMKC wins $7 million HIV grant

Mike Sherry – The Hale Center for Journalism

The University of Missouri-Kansas City said Monday that its School of Nursing and Health Studies has received its largest grant ever, a $7 million federal award to establish a national HIV-prevention resource center.

The five-year grant comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The center will work with more than 20 national and regional grant recipients to establish best practices for HIV prevention programs, according to a UMKC news release.

Laurie Krom, co-director of the center, said the school’s track record for coordinating other national networks helped it land the HIV prevention grant.

“UMKC stands out because of our expertise in national network building, instructional technology and strategic marketing,” Krom said.

The center – known officially as the National Capacity Building Assistance Provider Network Resource Center at the School of Nursing and Health Studies – expected to create nine new jobs.

The CDC estimates that about 1.1 million people aged 13 years and older in the U.S. are living with the HIV infection, including 180,900 who are unaware of their infection.

UMKC Chancellor Leo E. Morton said the federal grant “demonstrates the School of Nursing and Health Studies’ public health expertise as well as UMKC’s commitment to lead in the life and health sciences.”

Major Funding for Health coverage on KCPT provided by Assurant Employee Benefits and the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.