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Linda Frank, PhD, MSN
Assistant Professor and Director of IDM MPH Community and Behavioral Intervention of Infectious Diseases Program

Principal Investigator & Project Director, Pennsylvania/MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center

Co-Principal Investigator, Pitt HIV Early Intervention Project, Ryan White Title III
E-mail: frankie@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-624-1895
Fax: 412-624-4767
Address: A427 Crabtree Hall
130 DeSoto Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Education

Diploma, Nursing, St. Vincent Hospital; 1972
BSN, Nursing, Pennsylvania State University; 1982
MSN, University of Pittsburgh; 1983
PhD, Education, University of Pittsburgh; 1990

Research Interests

AIDS education of health care professionals; HIV early intervention; mental health issues and HIV; corrections and adherence

Research Summary

A major part of Dr. Frank’ s research is serving as principal investigator and executive director of the Pennsylvania/MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center (PA/MidAtlantic AETC). The program provides HIV/AIDS-related training and technical assistan ce to healthcare providers in Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The purpose of this project is to increase the providers ’ capacity to provide high-quality HIV/AIDS care within the region’s health care system. The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, is the central headquarters for the project. The program, funded since 1988 by DHHS, Bureau of HIV/AIDS, and the Ryan White Care Act is aimed at building clinical capacity for HIV treatment and reducing barriers to care by improving the knowledge and skills of clinical providers through education, consultation and technical assistance. The program targets health professionals, emphasizing physicians, dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other members of the HIV treatment team. In 2004 and 2005, Dr. Frank received a CDC grant for the specific training of HIV clinics in a prevention model for use in HIV clinics. She was appointed to the steering committee of the newly HRSA-funded National HIV Quality Center, headquartered at the New York State Department of Health and also serves on the planning committee for the Pennsylvania Department of Health ’s Quality Management Initiative. She was al so elected to serve as a co-chair of the Joint Ryan White Reauthorization Committee of AIDS Action and the CAEAR Coalition. This committee has developed recommendations for the 2005 reauthorization language for the Ryan White Care Act. She currently serves as the co-chair of AIDS Action’ s Public Policy Committee. The Eurasian Medical Education Program, funded by the NIH, has invited Dr. Frank to train faculty in the Russian Ural Region and the Russian Far East. During 2005, she w as part of a delegation of HIV experts who conducted training throughout the Russian Federation in Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, and Tymen. In June 2005, she was one of the organizers and conveners of a conference entitled, “HIV/AIDS East of the Urals” in collaboration with the Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies at the University of Pittsburg h , where Dr. Frank serves as a faculty member. The conference included a delegation of clinicians and policy makers from the Ural Region and Siberia with the goal of research and training collaboration. IN 2006, she was invited to be among the clinicians at the I-TECH (International Training and Education Center for HIV) meeting that was held in Cape Town, South Africa attended by clinician educators from throughout Africa to develop and discuss clinical training approaches in resource-limited settings. In August 2006, Dr. Frank presented an abstract on her work in the Russian Federation at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto in collaboration with Russian colleagues.

Professional Experience

  • 1999-Present: Principal Investigator & Project Director, Pennsylvania/MidAtlantic AETC, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
  • 1994-Present: Co-Principal Investigator and Deputy Director, Pitt HIV Early Intervention Project (Ryan White IIIB), University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine
  • 2000-Present: Director, New MPH Track, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Division of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Communicable Disease and Behavioral Health
  • 1991-Present: Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1992-Present: Assistant Professor (secondary), School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1991-1999: Principal Investigator and Project Director, Pennsylvania AETC, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
  • 1992-1995: Principal Investigator, Pennsylvania HIV/Mental Health Project (SAMHSA), Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1988-1991: Co-Principal Investigator, Senior Project Director, Pennsylvania/New York AETC, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1987-1988: Assistant Director, Center for Continuing Education for the Health Sciences, Office of the Senior Vice President for the Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1986-1987: Director and Clinical Liaison Specialist, Adult and Geriatric Training Programs, Office of Education and Regional Programming, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh

Certification and Licensure

  • Licensure: Nursing Licensure, Pennsylvania RN 188901-L
  • Certification: American Nurses Association, Clinical Specialist, Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 1988-1997
  • Certification: Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 1996-2000

Grants and Cooperative Agreements

  • 1999-Present: Principal Investigator and Project Director, Pennsylvania/MidAtlantic AETC, HRSA, Bureau of HIV/AIDS, Division of Training and Technical Assistance

  • 1996-Present: Principal Investigator and Project Director, Title II HIV/AIDS Education and Technical Assistance Project, Pennsylvania Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Division

  • 1994-Present: Co-Principal Investigator and Deputy Director, Pitt HIV Early Intervention Project/Ryan White, HRSA, Bureau of Primary Care, Title III-B

  • 1994-Present: Principal Investigator, AETC, Governor's Office of Administration, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

  • 1999-2000: Co-Principal Investigator, Adherence to Protease Inhibitors Project, Department of Health and Human Services

  • 1997-1998: Principal Investigator, National AETC Nursing Advisory Committee, HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions

  • 1996-1998: Principal Investigator, Ryan White Initiative, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Division

  • 1996-1997: Principal Investigator, Reduction of HIV Perinatal Transmission Project, Pennsylvania AETC, HRSA, Bureau of Primary Health Care

  • 1993-1994: Rural Initiative for State Health Care Provider Training Program, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Division

  • 1992-1995: Principal Investigator, Pennsylvania Mental Health Project, Mental Health Care Provider Training in HIV Infection and AIDS, SAMHSA, Center for Mental Health Services

  • 1991-1999: Principal Investigator and Project Director, Pennsylvania AETC, HRSA, Bureau of HIV/AIDS

  • 1989-1994: Principal Investigator, AIDS Education Programs for State Health Care Workers, Governor's Office of Administration, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

  • 1988-1991: Co-Principal Investigator & Project Director, Pennsylvania/New York AETC, HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions

Recent Publications

  • Barr, D., Frank, L., and Cheever, L.  Adherence and HIV Treatment, Ryan White All Titles Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 20, 2000.
  • Messeri, P., Havilland, L., and Frank, L.  “Outcome Evaluation in Ryan White Programs,” Ryan White All Titles Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 20, 2000.
  • Frank, L.  “Complexities of Care and Custody: Increasing Treatment Access and Policy Reform,” XII International Conference on AIDS, Durban, South Africa, July 10, 2000.
  • Frank, L.  “Correctional Facilities: A Public Health Opportunity”; “Community Based Models of Correctional Health Care for the 21st Century,” Correctional Health Care Seminar, Penn State Fayette, October 26, 2000.
  • Frank, L.  “An Overview of Program Offerings for Inmate Peer Education and Correctional Staff Education on HIV/AIDS,” HIV & the Correctional System: Continuity of Care, West Virginia, October 27, 2000.
  • Bartlett, C., Frank, L., Miramontes, H., and Vitiello, M.  “Political Activism for Nurses in the HIV Epidemic”: A Panel.  13th Annual ANAC Conference, San Juan, PR, November 5, 2000.
  • Frank, L, Jerrett, J., Gatt, R., and Mitchell J.  Consumer Input Project: Barriers to Adherence and Access to HIV Treatment.
  • Frank, L., Messeri, P., Millery, M., and Mitchell, C.  “The National Multi-Center Evaluation Study,” National Clinical Consultation Skills-Building Workshop, San Francisco, CA, March 19, 2001.
  • Day R, Frank L, “Social demoralization as a historical factor promoting the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the Russian Federation.” Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases (2004)
  • Frank, L.  "Challenges in HIV Nursing Care: Complex Clients, Care and Communities,” HIV/AIDS on the Frontline Conference, Costa Mesa, CA, April 18, 2001.
  • Frank, L. and Day, R. (2005) Evaluation of HIV clinical consultation provided by the AIDS Education and Training Centers. J HIV/AIDS and Social Sci, in press.

Membership Information Committees

  • 1999-Present:  National AETC Evaluation Steering Committee, HRSA
  • 1998-Present:  Member, Integrated HIV Planning Council, Department of Health
  • 1997-Present: Member, Managed Care Committee, Southwest PA AIDS Planning Coalition
  • 1996-2000: Treasurer, HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB), Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC)
  • 2000:  Improving Palliative Care Service in Jails and Prisons Committee, APHA
  • 2000:  Annual Conference Planning Committee, ANAC
  • 1996-Present: Board, Policy Committee, AIDS Action Council, Washington, DC
  • 1996-Present: Member, HRSA Statewide Coordinated Statement of Needs Committee
  • 1996-Present:  Board Member, Southwest Pennsylvania Regional AHEC
  • 1995-Present:  Member, HIV/AIDS Steering Committee for Psychiatric Nurses, American Nurses Foundation
  • 1995-Present: Chair, Jail and Prison Health Committee, Medical Care Section, American Public Health Association
  • 1995-Present:  Member, Center for Public Health Practice, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1995-Present: Co-Chair, Governmental Affairs Committee, National Association of AETCs
  • 1994-Present: Chair, HRSA Nursing Clinical Advisory Committee
  • 1994-Present: CDC, Pennsylvania HIV Community Prevention Planning Committee
  • 1993-Present: Member, HRSA AETC Evaluation Committee
  • 1993-1998:  Board, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force
  • 1990-Present:  Chair, HRSA Data Committee
  • 1990-Present:  Member, Advisory Committee, Pitt Treatment and Evaluation Unit (PTEU) - HIV Clinical Trials

Other Experience and Honors

  • Distinguished Alumni Award, Penn State University School of Nursing, 2001
  • Outstanding Performance Award, HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau, 2000
  • Guest Editor, JANAC, December 1999
  • Recognition Award, HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board, 1998
  • Volunteer Recognition Award, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, 1996
  • Outstanding Student Nurse, St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing, 1972
  • Graduated with High Distinction, University of Pittsburgh, 1983
  • Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing, Inducted, 1982
  • Consultant for HIV Prevention Counseling Curriculum, PA Department of Health
  • Consultant, Department of Corrections, Department of Probation and Parole
  • Consultant, Adherence to Protease Inhibitors, National Institute of Nursing Research
  • Consultant, Governor's Office of Administration and Department of Corrections
  • Reviewer, CDC, Prevention Planning Grants
  • Site Reviewer, HRSA, Ryan White Title III, Early HIV Intervention
  • Reviewer, HRSA, Ryan White Title IV, Pediatric & Family HIV
  • Reviewer, SAMHSA, Prevention Intervention

    Last Updated: October 7, 2007




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