Request for Proposals: Sexual Health and Aging: Resources and Training for Clinical Providers (SHARP)

The SHARP Program aims to improve sexual health care for older adults aged 50 and older by equipping primary care providers in New York City with the training and resources needed to conduct affirming sexual history-taking conversations and implement routine opt-out HIV and STI screening. Despite higher rates of health care utilization, older adults are significantly undertested for HIV and STIs, and sexual health discussions are rarely initiated in clinical settings, leading to gaps in prevention and treatment. The program will address this by developing comprehensive, community-informed clinical trainings and digital resources tailored for both providers and patients, ensuring that conversations about sexual health are normalized, respectful, and aligned with the needs of aging populations. The selected organization will be responsible for creating these materials and delivering them through in-person, virtual, and self-paced formats to primary care providers across NYC, with the goal of integrating these practices into routine care. In addition to developing and distributing educational content, the funded organization will serve as a bridge between providers and NYC Health Department resources, ensuring seamless access to tools, guidelines, and support necessary for sustained implementation. The initiative recognizes that aging adults remain sexually active and deserve equitable access to screening and prevention services, and seeks to dismantle systemic barriers that have historically excluded them from sexual health care. By focusing on provider capacity-building and patient-facing education, the program aims to transform clinical practices to be more inclusive, proactive, and responsive to the sexual health needs of older adults, ultimately reducing disparities in HIV and STI diagnosis and care within this underserved demographic. The solicitation invites experienced training providers to submit proposals by September 14, 2026, with funding awarded to a single entity capable of executing this multi-faceted effort across NYC’s primary care networks.