Over the last 25 years, community-based participatory research (CBPR) has emerged as an innovative methodological approach to break down the barriers toward health equity in biopsychosocial research. Although there are several methods one can use to conduct CBPR research, one widely used established tool that has shown to be effective for engaging community meaningfully in research is community advisory boards (CABs). CABs are formalized collaborative bodies consisting of community and research stakeholders and have been integral in engaging underserved groups experiencing HIV-related health inequities at the early stages of the AIDS crisis. Even though evidence suggests that CABs are an effective tool for conducting high-quality, rigorous, and community-centered HIV-related research, there are minimal guidelines summarizing the steps needed for developing and maintaining a CAB. Therefore, to fill this gap in the literature, this article offers a practical guide to help researchers with minimal experience, particularly graduate students and early-stage investigators, feel more comfortable with establishing a CAB for equity-focused HIV-related research. This article synthesizes already established guidelines and frameworks for CAB development while specifically outlining unique steps related to the three main stages of CAB formation – establishment, implementation, and sustainment. Throughout this article, the authors offer tension points, generated from the literature and with consultation from a CAB working alongside the authors, that researchers and community partners may need to navigate during each of these three stages. In addition, best practices from the literature are identified for each step in the guidelines so that readers can see firsthand how research groups have carried out these steps in their own practice.

Despite the availability of HIV prevention and treatment tools, HIV disparities continue to affect Latinx sexual minority men (LSMM). Behavioral health concerns further exacerbate HIV disparities among LSMM. This study used rapid qualitative analysis to understand factors influencing LSMM's access to HIV and behavioral health services during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Participants included LSMM with ( n = 10) and without HIV ( n = 10). The analysis identified 15 themes. Themes revealed that LSMM's access was disrupted by new and worsening barriers resulting from COVID-19, such as anxiety about COVID-19 exposure, confusion and disruptions to services, and new structural challenges. Other themes highlight positive changes, such as telehealth and relaxed clinic protocols, which enhanced LSMM's access to services during COVID-19. The findings suggest the need for HIV and behavioral health clinics to innovate and ensure LSMM's continued access to services during and beyond COVID-19.

Background: Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) experience HIV and behavioral health disparities. Yet, evidence-based interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and behavioral health treatments, have not been equitably scaled up to meet LMSM needs. To address quality of life and the public health importance of HIV prevention, implementation strategies to equitably scale-up these interventions to LMSM need to be developed. This study identifies themes for developing culturally grounded implementation strategies to increase the uptake of evidence-based HIV-prevention and behavioral health treatments among LMSM. Methods: Participants included 13 LMSM and 12 stakeholders in Miami, an HIV epicenter. Feedback regarding the content, design, and format of an implementation strategy to scale-up HIV-prevention and behavioral health services to LMSM were collected via focus groups ( N = 3) and individual interviews ( N = 3). Themes were inductively identified across the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF) domains. Results: Analyses revealed five higher order themes regarding the design, content, and format of the implementation strategy: cultural context, relationships and networks, navigation of health information and systems, resources and models of service delivery, and motivation to engage. Themes were applicable across HEIF domains, meaning that the same theme could have implications for both the development and implementation of the implementation strategy. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of addressing culturally specific factors, leveraging relational networks, facilitating navigation of health systems, tailoring to available resources, and building consumer and implementer motivation in order to refine an implementation strategy for reducing mental health burden and achieving HIV health equity among LMSM. Plain Language Summary: Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) are diagnosed with HIV and experience mental health and substance use problems more than their non-Latino/non-MSM peers. This means there is a disparity: one group is burdened by a disease more than another group. There are interventions, like pre-exposure prophylaxis and mental health/substance use treatment that can address this disparity. But, LMSM do not have enough access to these. This means there is a healthcare disparity: one group does not have as much access to healthcare as another group. The purpose of this study was to create a program to help LMSM get these services and consider how to implement it. LMSM and potential implementers talked about factors to consider in developing this program and implementation. They said the program and implementation need to (1) consider the cultural context in which LMSM are embedded, (2) leverage LMSM and implementers’ networks, (3) increase LMSM and implementers’ ability to navigate complex health systems, (4) be tailored to the resources available to consumers and implementers, and (5) build consumer and implementer motivation. These factors are important to address when developing and implementing programs to help LMSM get HIV-prevention and behavioral health treatments.