HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest
January 6, 2022
Highlights of the Week
Let’s Discuss Sexual Health Services in Retail Health Clinics and Pharmacies
NACCHO is hosting two convenings to bring together health departments and national partners and their members to discuss sexual health services in retail health clinics and pharmacies. The goal of both meetings is to understand how these entities work together currently and discuss how that relationship could grow in the future (and what would be needed to support that growth to better provide services in communities). The retail health clinic one will be on January 31, 2022, from 11:00am-1:30pm ET and the pharmacy meeting will take place on February 8, 2022, from 12:30 - 3:00pm ET
If you are interested in participating, please email Rebekah ([email protected]).
Join NACCHO and NCSD to Discuss 340B Drug Pricing Program
Would your health department benefit from understanding and utilizing the 340B Drug Pricing Program? Join NACCHO and the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) on January 25, 2022, at 2:00 pm ET as we explore the basics and beyond of 340B. Learn how the 340B Drug Pricing Program can support health department operations—saving money, generating revenue, and expanding sexual health services. Interested? Register here.
Job Opportunities
Director of HSH and Harm Reduction
The Director will oversee HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction projects within the HSH and Harm Reduction portfolio at NACCHO. With the Senior Director, they are responsible for developing the strategic direction for this work, integrating these activities within the unit portfolio and across the organization, and ensuring results.
Senior Program Analyst (Harm Reduction)
The Senior Program Analyst will primarily focus on NACCHO efforts to expand, coordinate, and publicize the National Harm Reduction Technical Assistance (TA) Center (NHRTAC). This will include working with a broad range of local health department, community-based, and national partners to recruit and orient TA providers, build NHRTAC capacity to deliver high quality and consistent TA, and create and sustain national demand for the NHRTAC TA offerings.
Announcements
DUE TODAY, JANUARY 6th, 2022 - Funding Opportunities for Harm Reduction Monitoring & Evaluation
NACCHO is pleased to announce new funding opportunities to promote monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of syringe services programs (SSPs) and support the use of data for SSP program improvement. With support from CDC and in partnership with the University of Washington, NACCHO will provide up to $90,000 for SSPs to implement data analysis and/or evaluation projects and up to $50,000 for SSPs to participate in a learning collaborative related to the implementation of point in time surveys. Applications for the data analysis RFA are due January 13 and applications for the point in time survey learning collaborative are due January 6. For additional information including access to the RFAs, visit here .
Now Available: NACCHO, NCSD, and NASTAD Webinar on New Point-of-Care Technology for Testing STIs
On December 9, 2021, NACCHO, the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), and the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) hosted a webinar on a new point-of-care technology for testing of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the impact of its use for health departments. You can access the slides, recording, and transcript on the HSH homepage. Please feel free to pass these along to colleagues who may be interested!
NACCHO is expanding our work to address the syndemic of STIs, HIV, viral hepatitis, and substance use disorders and is interested in learning more about the status of STI and harm reduction service integration and barriers and opportunities related to integrating and linking these services. Please complete the brief survey linked above to provide information about your organization’s experience with integrating and/or establishing linkages between these services.
For more information or to submit general questions, please email Senior Program Analyst, HIV, STI, & Viral Hepatitis, Kat Kelley at [email protected].
Be a Voice for Local Public Health: Join NACCHO’s HIV, STI, & Viral Hepatitis Sentinel Network
Join over 100 local health departments from more than 40 states participating in NACCHO’s HIV, STI, and Viral Hepatitis Sentinel Network (Sentinel Network). The Sentinel Network is an opportunity to shape national technical assistance and share your local public health perspective while engaging with colleagues nationwide. Members complete brief surveys on approximately a quarterly basis on their HIV, STI, and hepatitis programs, including their activities and services, partnerships, needs, challenges, and successes. Following each survey, Sentinel Network members are invited to discuss findings among their peers at NACCHO-hosted learning events. Sign up here or visit our website for more information. Contact Shalesha Majors ([email protected]) with any questions.
NACCHO Releases National Scan of Congenital Syphilis Prevention and Control Efforts
Over the last year, NACCHO has collected information on congenital syphilis prevention and control interventions/activities across the United States. This effort focused on gathering information on any interventions/activities across the entire spectrum of prevention of syphilis among persons with childbearing capacity and congenital syphilis, as well as information on your syphilis screening/testing efforts of persons with childbearing capacity at your local jail(s). A compendium of the collected responses has been developed to increase peer-to-peer collaboration and improve congenital syphilis prevention efforts. In addition to looking at what other jurisdictions have tried regarding congenital syphilis prevention, you can enter information on your local interventions/activities, regardless of whether the intervention/activity has been evaluated. For more information, and if you have questions, contact Shalesha Majors at [email protected].
Resources and News
Paxlovid for the Treatment of COVID-19: Considerations for People with HIV and Hepatitis C
On December 22, 2021 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets), which is the first oral treatment for COVID-19. FDA approved Paxlovid for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) and who are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19. This report was formed to respond to provider questions about treating patients with HIV and HCV with Paxlovid since one of the components of Paxlovid (ritonavir) is also part of many HIV and HCV treatment regimens. For clinical guidance on the use of Paxlovid and other COVID-19 therapeutics, see the IDSA Guidelines on the Treatment and Management of Patients With COVID-19. For clinical guidance on HIV treatment, refer to the HHS Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents With HIV.
PrEP Ancillary Support Services Now Allowable Use of CDC HIV Funding
CDC will now allow domestic HIV prevention funding to be used to support PrEP ancillary services (such as laboratory testing costs) through the flagship health department program, PS18-1802.
FDA Alerts about Potential False-Positive with Syphilis Test
The FDA sent an alert to clinical laboratory staff and health care providers about a syphilis test. The alert reports that false reactivity, or “false-positive,” Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR; non-treponemal) test results, when using the Bio-Rad Laboratories BioPlex 2200 Syphilis Total & RPR kit, can occur in some people who received a COVID-19 vaccine and includes recommendations for addressing these potential false positives. Per CDC’s 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines, reactive RPR results should always be confirmed with treponemal testing (e.g., Treponema pallidum particle agglutination, TP-PA). As syphilis continues to increase in our nation, it is critical that patients receive timely and adequate treatment. If you need clinical decision-making support, reach out to CDC clinicians via CDC-INFO, or contact the STD Clinical Consultation Network. For general laboratory information or additional support/guidance on specific testing requirements, please contact DSTDP’s STD Laboratory Reference and Research Branch via Weiping Cao ([email protected]), Syphilis/Emerging STIs Team Lead, or Ellen Kersh ([email protected]), Branch Chief.
Essential Access Health (ESH) supported the adoption of telehealth as their health care delivery system transformed to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. ESH developed new resources, conducted a webinar series, and published a free e-course that shares specific telehealth strategies for addressing the digital divide and providing high quality sexual and reproductive health care through a broad range of telehealth modalities.
From the Field: Research, Policy, and Project Updates
New HRSA HAB EHE Data Report 2020 Is Now Available
HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) released its inaugural Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. Initiative (EHE) Data Report, 2020 on December 15. HRSA HAB plays a critical role in the EHE initiative through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), which provides a comprehensive system of HIV care, support services, and medication delivery. The publication features national-level aggregate data submitted to the EHE Triannual Module data system by HAB EHE recipients and subrecipients during the 2020 calendar year.
National HIV/AIDS Strategy for 2022-2025 Released
The updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022–2025) provides stakeholders across the nation with a roadmap to accelerate efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030. The White House’s Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) facilitated development of and published the NHAS, which builds on the 2021 HIV National Strategic Plan and the two prior National HIV/AIDS Strategies (2010, 2015).
In the News
FDA approves first injectable PrEP medication to lower HIV risk - CNN
Sex ed info on TikTok shows gaps in traditional education – The Verge
Federal Appeals Court to Hear Texas Abortion Case on Jan. 7 – NBC News
When Should Youth Get Tested for HIV or Start PrEP - POZ
Events and Webinars
Part 3: Intersection of Misogynoir, Obstetric Racism & HIV
January 7 at 9:30am PT
Hosted by: The Pacific AIDS Education & Training Center, HIVE, and the National Clinician Consultation Center
Public Health Innovative Funding Webinar Series - Blending and Braiding Funding
January 14 at 1:00pm ET
Hosted by: NACCHO
Hep B United/Tuberculosis Elimination Alliance Summit “A Conversation with CDC Partners” Webinar
January 20 at 4:00pm ET
Hosted by: Hep B United and the Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Alliance
January 20 at 2:00pm ET
Hosted by: HRSA
January 25 at 2:00pm ET
Hosted by: NACCHO and NCSD
Conducting Medically Appropriate and Culturally Sensitive STI Screening with Transgender People
January 26 at 9:00am ET
Hosted: National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers
