EPIC
Enhancing Peer Involvement in Care
Strengthening peer navigation and improving the HIV care experience for Black women.
Peer Support That Strengthens Care
EPIC (Enhancing Peer Involvement in Care) strengthens the role of peer navigators in supporting Black women living with HIV. Through training, shared learning, and practical tools, EPIC helps peers build the knowledge and skills to support women as they navigate care.
EPIC is funded by ViiV Healthcare.
Building Stronger Peers.
Strengthening the Care Experience.
EPIC equips peer navigators with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to help Black women living with HIV navigate care, address barriers, and stay connected to the services they need.
TRAIN
Build Knowledge
Peers strengthen their knowledge and skills to support Black women as they navigate HIV care, address barriers, and make informed decisions.
CONNECT
Share Experiences
Peers share experiences, strategies, and solutions that strengthen their practice, build community, and deepen support for the women they serve.
SUPPORT
Navigate Care
Peers help Black women address barriers, connect to care and resources, communicate their needs, and stay engaged throughout their care journey.
WHY PEER INVOLVEMENT MATTERS
Lived Experience Strengthens the Connection to Care
Peer navigators can serve as trusted links between Black women living with HIV and the healthcare systems that support their care. They help women understand their options, prepare for medical visits, communicate with providers, stay engaged in care, and make decisions that support their health and well-being.
EPIC strengthens that connection by helping peers build the knowledge, confidence, and skills to provide support that is culturally responsive, compassionate, and grounded in lived experience.
EPIC IN ACTION
Learning Happens in Community
EPIC brings peers together to learn, share experiences, strengthen their skills, and build connections that support their work.
WHAT PEERS BUILD
Building Skills for Stronger Peer Support
EPIC equips peers with practical knowledge and skills they can use to support Black women throughout their HIV care journey.
NAVIGATION
Navigating Care
Build skills to help women understand their options, access resources, and move through systems of care with greater confidence.
COMMUNICATION
Building Trust
Strengthen communication skills that support meaningful relationships, informed choices, and respectful conversations about health and care.
ADVOCACY
Supporting Self-Advocacy
Help women identify their needs, communicate their priorities, and take a more active role in decisions about their health and care.
PARTICIPANT VOICES
In Their Own Words
Participants reflected on the value of connection, vulnerability, and being in community with other Black women living with HIV.
“So thankful to be a part of this and get a chance to be vulnerable!”
EPIC Participant
(Cohort 3)
“I feel much better being able to relate to women like me without judgment.”
(Cohort 3)
CONNECT WITH EPIC
Learn More About EPIC
Connect with Ribbon to learn more about EPIC, its peer-centered approach, and opportunities to engage with the program.
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