NJRC Partners on NIH-Funded HIV Research to Improve Post-Incarceration Care

On Oct 9, 2025

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC) is participating in the second phase, multi-site research project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The initiative, DEST2nation (Decentralized, Status-Neutral, Stakeholder-Engaged Post-Incarceration Intervention for People With and At-Risk for HIV), will develop and test a person-centered, low-barrier model of post-incarceration care for individuals living with or at risk of HIV.

The five-year NIH/NIDA R61/R33 study is led by Dr. Matthew J. Akiyama, associate professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and clinician-investigator at Montefiore Medical Center, in collaboration with NJRC in New Jersey, The Fortune Society in New York City, and the Institute for Community Justice (ICJ) in Philadelphia. Under the medical leadership of Dr. Gloria Bachmann, NJRC’s medical director, and in partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, NJRC will serve as the implementation site for northern New Jersey.

“Our research seeks to develop a low-barrier, status-neutral model that bridges the gap between incarceration and community-based HIV care,” stated Dr. Akiyama. “By centering the voices of those most affected, we aim to advance health equity and improve outcomes across the continuum of care.”

This study responds to an urgent and long-standing public health crisis at the intersection of incarceration, addiction, and infectious disease. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the International AIDS Advisory Council, persons with histories of incarceration are three to seven times more likely to be living with HIV than members of the general population. For individuals returning home from prison or jail, structural barriers, such as stigma, limited healthcare access, lack of transportation, and medical mistrust, routinely interrupt treatment and contribute to poor outcomes.

“We are deeply honored to join this vital NIH research initiative with Dr. Akiyama and Einstein College,” stated Jim McGreevey, executive director of NJRC. “This study provides an opportunity to design and implement a model of compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals reentering our communities, persons confronting the dual challenges of incarceration and HIV. Our shared goal is to reduce stigma, structural barriers, and lack of access to care.”

Dr. Bachmann will lead NJRC’s medical implementation at NJRC. She emphasized that the study’s community-based approach is a key strength: “This partnership will generate crucial data to strengthen long-term HIV prevention and treatment among some of the most vulnerable populations in our state. Through collaboration, we can create a sustainable model of continuity in care that promotes dignity, wellness, and recovery.”

The DEST2nation research builds on NJRC’s experience serving justice-involved individuals. Each year, NJRC provides thousands of returning citizens with integrated services including addiction treatment, mental healthcare, employment placement, and housing support. These wraparound services create the infrastructure through which NJRC may bridge medical care gaps immediately upon release, often the critical window for reengagement in HIV treatment.

Community Advisory Board (CAB) consultations held early in the study identified recurring challenges for reentering individuals, including interruptions in antiretroviral therapy, a lack of information about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), and fragmented behavioral healthcare. DEST2nation’s design will emphasize client choice, cultural humility, and nonjudgmental engagement to address the identified barriers through peer navigation and integrated health coordination.

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