HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest
August 24, 2022
NACCHO News and Announcements
Seeking Applications for NASTAD & NACCHO’s Leading with Lived Experience Consultant Cohort
NASTAD and its partners National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) are working with state and local health departments (LHDs), community-based organizations (CBOs), clinical providers, people with lived experience, syringe services programs (SSPs) and harm reduction programs to identify and address the unmet needs of people who inject drugs (PWID) and improve their access to viral hepatitis education, prevention, testing, linkage to care, and treatment.
We are seeking applications for our Leading with Lived Experience (LLE) Consultant Cohort. LLE Consultants will be paid to participate in a training course on leadership from the perspective of lived experience with viral hepatitis and/or harm reduction services. LLE Consultants will then be contracted to facilitate a learning community through the Hepatitis Network for Education and Testing (HepNET). This initiative is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Viral Hepatitis (CDC DVH).
For more information on the opportunity and instructions for submission, please reach out to [email protected].
Applications are due on August 31, 2022.
New Funding Round for the Implementing Overdose Prevention Strategies at the Local Level Program
NACCHO, with support from the CDC, is pleased to announce a new funding round for the Implementing Overdose Prevention Strategies at the Local Level program. The application period is now live!
NACCHO will select up to fifteen (15) awards available through this funding opportunity. Each LHD may request up to $300,000 to support project activities.
This funding opportunity is open to LHDs operating in jurisdictions that meet the following requirements:
- Drug overdose death rate at or above 28.3 per 100,000 or death count equal to or greater than 165.
- Eligible jurisdictions by rate or count can be found by following these links. Statistics related to these criteria are drawn from the CDC WONDER database. If you believe these statistics to be in error, please reach out to the email below.
- Jurisdictions currently receiving IOPSLL funding or that are directly funded by OD2A are not eligible to apply. LHDs that receive OD2A funds through their state are eligible.
- If two or more LHDs cover the same jurisdictional county, only one will be awarded. LHDs are encouraged to work together on one application to serve their entire county and select one agency to submit the application and serve as a fiscal agent for the funds.
Review the RFA here.
Access the online submission platform here (free MyNACCHO account required).
Interested applicants can review the informational webinar held on August 4th, 2022. The recording can be reviewed here and the slides here. Another webinar will be held at 2:00 PM EST on Monday, August 29th. Register here.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
HIV, STI, and Hepatitis Resources and News
Secretary Xavier Becerra Announced More than $20 Million in Funding for Ending the HIV Epidemic
At the 2022 Ryan White Conference, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced funding more than $20 million, awarded by HRSA, for HIV prevention and research. Becerra said, “Today’s awards will ensure high quality HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services are more readily available for Americans who need it the most.”
You can find more information regarding the recipients of the awarded funds here.
Monkeypox Resources and Updates
As of August 23rd, 2022, there are 15,909 total confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the US.
There are currently 402 cases in the District of Columbia alone and 44,503 cases reported worldwide.
National CFAR CAB Coalition: Monkeypox Virtual Townhall
The next townhall will take place on Tuesday, August 30th 2022 from 7-8 pm ET and will focus on the following topics:
- Facts, information and debunking myths
- Community perspectives and messaging
- Remembering HIV and COVID-19 in response to monkeypox
- Vaccines and vaccine rollouts
- Treatment updates and access
To register, click here.
NIPS August Quarterly Webinar: Monkeypox (Wednesday, August 24th, 2022 2:00-3:00 pm EST
“Please join us for our next NIPS quarterly call featuring a CDC panel to provide Monkeypox updates and DIS from around the country who are working on the Monkeypox response. Please submit questions you may have ahead of time.
Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) serve as a cornerstone of the STD field by playing a critical role in reporting and controlling the spread of STDs on the ground. To continue providing technical assistance and facilitate peer-to-peer sharing, CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, Using Technology to Advance STI Prevention (UTASP) Group and the National Coalition of STD Directors are partnering to host the National Internet Partner Services (NIPS) Workgroup quarterly calls for technology-based partner services. These calls provide peer-to-peer support and information sharing on the use of technology for partner services through case studies, presentations, overviews of specific websites, and new social technology tools and discussions. Register Here Any questions can be directed to Talia Parker. ”
HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau Provides Resources to Combat the Accelerating Spread of Monkeypox
Recently, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) engaged with federal partners across the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to provide resources to combat the accelerating spread of monkeypox (MPx), help health care providers who are treating patients diagnosed with MPx, and ensure those who are eligible for vaccination are at the focus of response efforts. On August 17th, HHS authorized HRSA to receive an allotment of the JYNNEOS vaccine for MPx for rapid distribution to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients. To expedite the dissemination of the JYNNEOS vaccine, HRSA has decided to provide the vaccine to dually-funded RWHAP Part C providers that care for men who have sex with men and transgender persons. For more information regarding the vaccine distribution, please contact: [email protected].
For more information on treatment guidance, please visit and bookmark these resources from the CDC on managing MPx for people living with HIV:
- Clinical Considerations for Treatment and Prophylaxis of Monkeypox Virus Infection in People with HI
- Interim Guidance for Prevention and Treatment of Monkeypox in Persons with HIV Infection.
White House National Monkeypox Response Team announces new Monkeypox Response
As of August 18th, the White House National Monkeypox Response team announced a series of actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to further accelerate its response to the monkeypox (MPx) outbreak and mitigate the spread of the virus. To increase availability of vaccines and treatments, and protect communities most at risk of contracting the virus, the Administration has made more vaccines available for jurisdictions hosting large LGBTQI+ events. To learn more about this program, visit here. This packet includes information regarding criteria for inclusion and proposal requirements.
CDC Monkeypox Response: Public Health Partner Update
On August 25th, the CDC Monkeypox Response will host a Public Health Partner Update via Zoom. Please note that CDC does not send out a calendar invitation for this call and it is strongly encouraged that a calendar appointment is established for this call. This Zoom link will be valid for the upcoming months. Join Here: https://cdc.zoomgov.com/j/1605142339?pwd=djdXcHNXenpxR2doU0gycXRib2ttZz09
Monkeypox Messaging
Messaging is important to bring attention and awareness to the community regarding monkeypox. This ensures that individuals can make the best-informed decisions to protect their health and wellbeing. While it is important to make this information available to the public, it is just as important to make certain that messages and communication do not contribute to stigmatizing those who may have come in contact with the virus or marginalized groups of people, including the LGBTQI+ community. When developing communication and messages surrounding monkeypox, refer to these resources:
- Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication | Gateway to Health Communication | CDC: information on inclusive communication
- Reducing Stigma in Monkeypox Communication and Community Engagement | Monkeypox | Poxvirus | CDC: discusses how to frame communication around monkeypox
- Monkeypox (ca.gov): includes monkeypox fact sheets, videos, and social media messaging (available in both English and Spanish)
- Monkeypox can spread through anal and oral sex, like other STIs. Let’s talk about it. - Vox: provides insight on how clear messaging about risk reduction is important to combat monkeypox
Clinical Presentation and Characteristics of Monkeypox
There are many articles and reports that have recently been published regarding monkeypox. Please refer to these materials below as they provide information on the clinical presentation and characteristics of the virus across the globe.
- Clinical Presentation and Virological Assessment of Confirmed Human Monkeypox Virus Cases in Spain
- Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics of Monkeypox Cases
CDC Weekly Document Highlighting Key Messages about Monkeypox Outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has decided to release a weekly document that highlights key messages about the monkeypox outbreak and CDC’ response. Visit here for the most recent update from the week of August 15th! For additional information and updates, please visit: Monkeypox | Poxvirus | CDC
HIV Educational Needs and Future Programming Survey
The Well Project, a non-profit organization, has been working over the past 4 years to advance education, advocacy, research, and policy around breast/chestfeeding and HIV. They just launched an important (and brief) survey to help them better understand current knowledge and attitudes about breast/chestfeeding and HIV.
The survey (approximately 7 minutes) is intended for all members of who are part of the HIV community, including all people living with HIV, healthcare providers, and anyone else working adjacent to the HIV field. Responses to this survey will help assess educational need and guide future programming on this very important topic, so please take the survey today!
Click here to view all their resources for community and providers on this topic.
Strategic Changes are Needed to Strengthen Linkage and Engagement in HIV Care
The O’Neill Institute has released a new Big Ideas Brief addressing the changes that need to be made in regards to HIV care. “Diagnosing, connecting to care, and providing a range of social and clinical supports to facilitate continued engagement in care for all people living with HIV is complex, yet achievable. This brief (and accompanying summary) acknowledges that targeted responses are needed to address existing disparities in access and outcomes and to improve linkage and engagement across the HIV care continuum. Below are the links to both of the publications:”
Big Ideas in Brief (summary): https://oneill.law.georgetown.edu/publications/brief-strategic-changes-are-needed-to-strengthen-linkage-and-engagement-in-hiv-care/
Upcoming Opportunities
2022 STD Prevention Conference: September 19th-22nd
Tune into the virtual conference on STD prevention led by the CDC September 19th-22nd. For more information, click here.
