- Research team: Co-principal investigators Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston; and Leila Wood, PhD, MSSW, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Co-investigator Khara Breeden, DNP, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, AFN-BC, Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners.
- Funding sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Overview: The goal of this project is to increase HIV and substance use prevention and treatment among adolescent and young adult sexual violence survivors through increased access to enhanced services from sexual assault nurse examiners and advocates.
- Budget: $672,206
- Project period: June 15, 2025-May 31, 2028
- Research team: Principal investigator Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN. Co-Investigators Nikhil Padhye, PhD, of Cizik School of Nursing; Michael Businelle, PhD, of Oklahoma Health Science Center; and Natasha Slesnick, PhD, of The Ohio State University
- Funding sponsor: National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- Overview: This study expands testing of a mobile health intervention aimed at HIV prevention among youth experiencing homelessness.
- Budget: $2,858,139
- Project period: Sept. 21, 2023 through 2027
Related Publications:
Santa Maria D, Padhye N, Businelle, M, Slesnick N, Ricondo S, Lightfoot M. A just-in-time adaptive intervention, to improve HIV prevention and substance use in youth experiencing homelessness (MY-RIDE): Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols. 2025;14:e78006. https://doi.org/10.2196/78006
Santa Maria D, Businelle M, Slesnick N, Padhye N, Harrison T, Ging L, Jones JDT, White M. HIV and Substance Use Reduction for Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Form Res. 2026;10:e82232. https://doi.org/10.2196/82232
Recently Completed Projects
Come As You Are - Assessing the Efficacy of a Nurse Case Management HIV Prevention and Care Intervention Among Homeless Youth
- Research Team: Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN & Nikhil Padhye, PhD (Cizik School of Nursing); Adeline Nyamathi, ANP, PhD, FAAN (University of California Irvine); Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD (University of California San Francisco); Mary Paul, MD (Baylor College of Medicine); Yasmeen Quadri, MD (Healthcare for the Homeless Program of Harris County).
- Funding sponsor: National Institute of Nursing Research
- Overview: The purpose of this randomized wait-list control trial was to test the efficacy of a nurse case management HIV prevention intervention (called CAYA [Come As You Are]) compared to usual care among youth experiencing homelessness aged 16-25 years old. The intervention incorporates motivational interviewing strategies combined with nurse case management and a smartphone-based daily diary and goal feature to develop and monitor participant-driven HIV prevention behavioral goals.
- Budget: $3,085,854
- Project period: Jan. 9, 2019 - May 31, 2024
Related Publications:
Gibbs KD, Jones JT, LaMark W, Abdulmooti S, Bretz L, Kearney KD., ... Santa Maria DM. Coping during the COVID?19 pandemic among young adults experiencing homelessness and unstable housing: A qualitative study. Public Health Nursing. 2022;40:17–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13136
Santa Maria D, Paul M, Lightfoot M, Nyamathi A, Quadri Y, Padhye N, Ocampo E, Babayev R, Ramos MW, Malone-Thomas SL, White M, Carrillo, A, Jones JT. The leaky preexposure prophylaxis cascade—barriers and facilitators to preexposure prophylaxis uptake and adherence among youth experiencing homelessness in the US South: A mixed methods study. The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. 2024;36(3):271. https://doi.org/10.1097/JNC.0000000000000516
Fernandez-Sanchez H, Jones J, Arandhara U, Padhye N, Nyamathi A, Lightfoot M, … Santa Maria D. Internalized homophobia and mental health among youth experiencing homelessness: a correlational study. International Journal of LGBTQ+ Youth Studies. 2026:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/29968992.2026.2624467
Galvin A, Jones J, Arandhara U, Lingwall M, Padhye N, Nyamathi A, Lightfoot M, Paul M, Quadri Y, Businelle M, Santa Maria D. Pregnancy ambivalence, history of pregnancy, condom use, and contraceptive use among U.S. youth experiencing homelessness. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2026;30(8):1001–1007. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-026-04307-7
Fernández-Sánchez H, Jones J, Arandhara U, Padhye N, Nyamathi A, Lightfoot M, … Santa Maria D. Prevalence and characteristics of sex trafficking among youth experiencing homelessness: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One. 2026;21(8): e0357091. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357091
Fernandez-Sanchez H, Lightfoot M, Nyamathi A, Paul M, Quadri Y, Padhye N, ... Santa Maria D. COVID-19 Impact on the Lives of Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Concurrent Mixed Methods Study. Sage Open. 2026;16(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440261442626
Adapting a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Intervention for Emotion Regulation and Impulsivity in Homeless Youth: A Pilot Project (1R34AT010672-01A1)
- Research team: Principal Investigator
- Funding sponsor: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Overview: This project tested a tailored approach to mindfulness-based interventions designed for delivery to youth in homeless shelters.
- Budget: $731,783.
- Project period: September 2020 – August 2024
Related Publications:
Santa Maria D, Cuccaro P, Bender K, Sibinga E, Guerrero N, Keshwani N, ... Fine M. Adapting an evidence-based mindfulness-based intervention for sheltered youth experiencing homelessness. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2023;23(1):366. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04203-5
Santa Maria D, Cuccaro P, Sibinga E, Bender K, Jacko E, Liyanage W, ... Cron S. Feasibility of conducting a pilot randomized trial of a mindfulness-based intervention among sheltered young adults experiencing homelessness. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025;16:1649664. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1649664
