Mobile and Connected Health Interventions to Improve Care Continuum and Health Outcomes among Youth with HIV (R34) | RFA MH 18 605

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 18 605

The National Institutes of Health funding opportunity titled "Mobile and Connected Health Interventions to Improve Care Continuum and Health Outcomes among Youth with HIV (R34)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-18-605) is designed to push forward the next generation of mobile and connected health tools that can measurably improve how young people with HIV move through the HIV care continuum. The focus is on youth living with HIV, and the intent is to support work that uses mHealth approaches (such as smartphone apps, texting platforms, wearables, remote monitoring, or other connected technologies) to improve real-world outcomes that matter clinically and publicly, including HIV diagnosis, linkage to care after diagnosis, retention and engagement in care over time, and ultimately viral suppression.

This FOA uses the NIH R34 mechanism, which is typically intended to support the early stage development, refinement, and preparation needed before launching a larger-scale clinical trial. In practical terms, applicants are expected to do the foundational work required to get an intervention ready for more definitive testing. That can include formative research, user-centered design and usability testing with youth, refinement of intervention content and delivery features, development of protocols and study procedures, and building out the operational and technical infrastructure required to run a technology-enabled intervention. Importantly, the announcement explicitly allows inclusion of a small pilot clinical trial as part of the planning process, which signals that NIH is interested not only in design concepts but also in early feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcome data that can justify a subsequent larger trial.

A key expectation is that proposed projects clearly link the technology to specific, targeted outcomes along the HIV care continuum, rather than treating technology as an end in itself. In other words, competitive applications should spell out exactly which patient outcomes are expected to improve and why the proposed mobile/connected approach is well positioned to achieve that improvement. The FOA emphasizes interventions that incorporate emerging and cutting-edge technologies, which can include novel sensing, adaptive or just-in-time support, tailored messaging, social or peer components delivered through digital platforms, integration with electronic health records, or other innovative features that go beyond generic reminders. Another highlighted priority is supporting real-time clinical decision making, meaning the technology should ideally help patients, providers, or care teams respond quickly to changing needs (for example, identifying lapses in adherence or care engagement and triggering timely outreach). The opportunity also stresses facilitating effective long-term HIV management, reflecting the reality that youth may face fluctuating barriers over time and benefit from tools that support sustained engagement rather than short-term fixes.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under NIH, with activity areas listed as education and health, and CFDA numbers 93.242 and 93.279. The original closing date listed for this particular announcement was January 9, 2018, and the posting indicates a creation date of November 1, 2017. The award ceiling is listed as $225,000, which helps frame the scale as developmental and pilot-oriented rather than a full efficacy trial budget. While the entry does not specify the number of expected awards, the overall structure suggests NIH anticipated funding a limited set of planning and pilot efforts that could later compete for larger trial support.

Eligibility is broad and intentionally inclusive, spanning many types of institutions and organizations capable of conducting or partnering on clinical and technology-enabled research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals an interest in reaching youth across diverse settings and encouraging collaborations between clinical providers, community organizations, and technology developers, including in tribal, territorial, and other underserved contexts.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building and pilot-testing practical, modern mHealth interventions that can be translated into better HIV outcomes for youth, with a clear requirement that applicants define the specific care-continuum outcomes they will improve and demonstrate how the proposed technology enables timely, data-informed support and durable HIV management.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mobile and Connected Health Interventions to Improve Care Continuum and Health Outcomes among Youth with HIV (R34)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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