HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest
January 31, 2024
NACCHO News and Announcements
Call for ALL STD/HIV Program Directors
Are you overseeing the Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and/or HIV portfolio in your city or county? Do you supervise staff working for the STD and/or HIV programs?
If you answered YES to ANY of the above questions, we would like to hear from you! NACCHO is currently developing a free training and mentorship program for STD/HIV program directors like you, and would appreciate your valuable input! Take a moment to complete this short online interest form.
Sexual Health Services in Jails Webinar: Part 2
Join NACCHO on Wednesday, February 21st at 2pm EST for part two of our Sexual Health Services in Jails series! During this session, we will highlight several jail projects across the country, including Seattle-King County, Pueblo County, and Alabama Department of Public Health. Similar to the first session, we will discuss how these projects were developed/implemented, key staff involved, as well as lessons learned/best practices. We hope you can join us and if interested, please register here.
Sexual Health Services in Jails Webinar: Part 3
It’s back by popular demand! Join NACCHO on Wednesday, March 13th at 2 pm EST for part three of our Sexual Health Services in Jails series. This session will feature impactful jail projects from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and Orange County, FL. We will be discussing the stakeholders involved in these projects, how the projects were implemented, and what was learned along the way. We hope to see you there! Register here.
2024 NACCHO/NCSD DIS Scholarship Application
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) are pleased to offer scholarships for disease intervention specialists (DIS) who work in local and state health departments to attend NCSD’s annual meeting, STI Engage. This meeting will be held in person in Washington, DC and will take place on June 2-5, 2024.
Both organizations recognize all that DIS have done and do to support the STI workforce and would like to honor that through this opportunity! Selected scholars will be able to attend numerous sessions focused on STI prevention and control, as well as sessions specific to their workforce and the opportunity to network with your national DIS colleagues. Scholarships will cover conference registration, lodging, travel, and per diem expenses. For more information and to apply for this opportunity, please find the application here. Applications must be submitted by COB February 5, 2024.
STI Marketing: How to Jumpstart Your Marketing Campaigns!
Are you currently working on a marketing campaign and wondering how to make it successful? Join NACCHO and KFF’s Social Impact Media on Tuesday, April 2nd at 2pm EST to learn about how three campaigns were developed from beginning to end! We will be joined by representatives of Cobb County, Northwest, and Three Rivers health departments. KFF will also share FREE digital resources for attendees to use for their campaigns. You don’t want to miss this! If interested, please register here.
HIV, STI, Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Resources and News
Demystifying syndemic approaches in elimination planning for viral hepatitis programs
NASTAD’s VLC is a virtual learning community and training series designed to support viral hepatitis health department staff implement the viral hepatitis prevention and surveillance activities set forth in CDC’s Integrated Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention Funding for Health Departments (CDC-RFA-PS21-2103) and is open to all state, territorial, and local health departments.
This microsite has several extraordinary resources, including the “Demystifying syndemic approaches in elimination planning for viral hepatitis programs” workshop slides and recording.
Request for Information: Addressing the Specific Needs of Populations Aging with or Vulnerable to HIV
NASTAD, as part of the 2023-2024 Chair’s Challenge, is requesting information from health departments, CBOs, and other subrecipient organizations on existing programming that addresses the specific needs of populations aging with or vulnerable to HIV.
We are interested in learning about what programming your health department or organization currently has in place, or what gaps exist in your available programming, to provide services to populations aging with or vulnerable to HIV (this is inclusive of those 50+ living with HIV, Long Term Survivors, those who have been living with HIV for 20+ years, those born with HIV, and other subgroups so defined by your programs). Questions will ask you to overview existing programming, identify the funding stream(s), and contextualize the scope of the intervention or service provision.
Access this link to complete the RFI, which will direct you to a short questionnaire. Please share this RFI with your staff, subrecipients, or community partners who support your efforts and programs.
The information received from this RFI will support the eventual convening of a national consultation on Populations Aging with or Vulnerable to HIV, which will compile diverse perspectives and feedback to be shared with membership, federal funders, partner organizations, and community.
Please contact Matty Helton with questions.
Free Rapid Syphilis Tests for Tribal Health Organizations
With the rising rates of congenital syphilis within Indian country, Diagnostics Direct is partnering with NCSD in order to aid in meeting the specific needs of tribal communities by donating free rapid syphilis tests. If you are interested in receiving test donations, please reach out to Cait Shea, Senior Manager of Clinical Programs, at [email protected].
News to Note
CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance, 2022
Yesterday, CDC released Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance, 2022. The annual report – which highlights that the syphilis epidemic continues to escalate – underscores that STIs must be a public health priority. Overall, in 2022, more than 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were reported in the United States.
According to the report, syphilis cases (all stages and congenital syphilis) have increased 80 percent in the past five years. More than 3,700 congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2022, reflecting an alarming 937 percent increase in the past decade.
While reported syphilis cases continued to increase, reported chlamydia cases were level and reported gonorrhea cases declined by nearly 9 percent in 2022.
Given this is the first drop in reported gonorrhea cases in at least a decade, we are examining this finding closely and will be looking to 2023 data to better understand if this signals a true decline in infections, or if this is related to changes in gonorrhea diagnoses and reporting in 2022. Although gonorrhea declined, this finding may be a cause for an even closer look at public health efforts and redoubled prevention strategies, including those that improve access to STI testing and treatment.
Read NACCHO’s press release regarding the report here.
20% of Americans have an STI, but it’s not necessarily who you think – Forbes
Congenital syphilis claimed the lives of eight NC babies last year – NC Health News
Upcoming Opportunities
The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN): Research addressing HIV health inequities among US adolescents and young adults
February 15, 2024
Join for an overview of the newest cycle of the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network! This webinar will highlight ATN 165: Linking Youth to PrEP Services (LYPS) which tests an innovative mobile delivery and mHealth intervention to optimize PrEP adherence and persistence among sexual minority men, ATN 167: Legal, Economic, and Affirming Peer Support (LEAP) for transgender and gender diverse youth, and how the network prioritizes and amplifies the voices of youth directly impacted by the ATN’s pivotal research.
Register here.
Ending the Syndemic: Harm Reduction, PrEP and PEP: Preventing HIV
February 27, 2024
Staff serving American Indian & Alaska Native people are invited to participate in the Ending the Syndemic: Harm Reduction, PrEP and PEP: Preventing HIV virtual training. This 2.5-hour virtual training program is designed to aid clinicians in effectively integrating Harm Reduction, Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) services in Indian Health Service, Tribal and Urban Indian clinics to prevent HIV.
Register here.
