HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest
October 12, 2023
NACCHO News and Announcements
Rates of sexual transmitted infections (STIs) are high and rising rapidly in the United States. Reported cases of syphilis (all stages) have increased 74 percent since 2017, totaling more than 176,000 cases in 2021. Although syphilis is relatively inexpensive to treat and cure, can cause congenital syphilis which may be fatal to the fetus, and is a predictor for HIV incidence, rates of screening for syphilis are low in the emergency department setting. NACCHO is working with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) to support a convening or consultation with academic emergency medicine groups, advocacy groups, health departments, insurance, and medical center representation to discuss the best ways forward on screening practices for syphilis in emergency departments. This will include discussion of what the current best practices are, what is feasible, what are challenges, where there is consensus, and where there is disagreement.
NACCHO seeks a consultant to design this meeting, perform meeting logistics, and handle all travel.
Applicants should provide a detailed description of their proposal and a budget not to exceed $75,000 and all activities must be completed by 7/31/24.
To learn more about this opportunity, check out the Request for Proposals here.
NACCHO’s Digital Marketing 101 Session
Interested in learning how to get critical information to impacted communities when you don’t have all the answers? NACCHO is excited to announce we will be partnering with KFF Social Impact Media to conduct a digital marketing/communications webinar series for health department HIV, STI, Harm Reduction and Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant programs. Building Healthy Online Communities, a national consortium of public health leaders and dating app owners working for queer and trans health, will be discussing how to develop social media campaigns during ongoing public health events, such as Mpox and COVID, and in response to emerging sexual health strategies, such as DoxyPEP and HIV/STI self-testing. Topics covered will include developing messages based on harm reduction and limited information, working with social media influencers, and prioritizing effective social media formats. Additionally, NACCHO will be joined by partnering organization, KFF Social Impact Media, to discuss ad buying and how to use that as a tool to reach certain audiences. KFF’s Social Impact Media shares insights from partnering with health departments for using digital media platforms to reach specific audiences with public health information. Find out how to go beyond organic social media posts to place strategic ads that engage focused populations in services from the team that leads creative strategy, content development and media placement for KFF’s campaigns, including Greater Than HIV, STDs, COVID, mpox and more.
The first session to take place is a Digital Marketing 101 session. This session will take place on October 25th at 2pm EST and you don’t want to miss it! For more information on this session, please don’t hesitate to contact Daisha Washington at [email protected]. If interested, register here!
HIV/STI/Harm Reduction/RIM Digital Marketing & Communications Survey
As NACCHO and KFF kicks off their joint partnership to highlight marketing and communications efforts across the country, both organizations are interested in understanding how health departments are currently leading with this work and what health departments are interested in learning more about to help better inform their digital marketing and communications efforts. The completion of this survey will help to shape the webinar series, as well as additional efforts in the future. Please have a team member who is familiar with your digital communications provide responses to this short query to share information about your experiences. We appreciate your time and consideration in providing this information. For information or questions about the survey, don’t hesitate to reach out to Daisha Washington ([email protected]), Senior Program Analyst, STIs.
HIV, STI, & Hepatitis Resources and News
NEW Videos on All Things HIV, STDs & More!
KFF’s Greater Than HIV has teamed with CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together on a new video series featuring leading public health experts on the latest in HIV, STDs, and sexual health.
First up is Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH, on the power of PrEP, why U=U is a game changer, and faster, easier HIV testing! Watch & share.
Widely recognized as a national leader on health issues affecting LGBTQIA+ communities, Dr. Daskalakis is the Acting Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at CDC, deployed from his position as Director of the Division of HIV Prevention.
There is a Rapid Start Service Delivery Model for Every Service Setting
CAI’s Rapid ART Dissemination Assistance Provider (DAP) worked with eight diverse Ryan White-funded providers from across the country who shared their unique approach to providing Rapid Start services that are described in a site profile for each provider.
Each site profile includes:
- An “at-a-glance” document that highlights key features of their Rapid Start program
- A brief animated video providing an overview of the site’s Rapid Start service model
- A process map depicting workflow
- A comprehensive description of how Rapid Start services were initiated, implemented and sustained.
Access Site Profiles here.
Rapid Start Cost Estimation Tool – Don’t Wait, Plan Now!
Cost is an important consideration when planning to implement Rapid Start services in your setting.
CAI’s Rapid ART Dissemination Assistance Provider (DAP) has developed an easy-to-use cost estimation tool that will help you estimate the costs needed to support the planning, implementation, and management of Rapid Start services in your setting.
Access Cost Estimation Tool here.
Rapid Start Compendium of Best Practices
As part of their newly launched package of Rapid Start resources, CAI’s Rapid ART Dissemination Assistance Provider (DAP) compiled a range of best practices in their “Compendium of Best Practices in Provision of Rapid Start Services for People with HIV”. Each section of the Compendium describes best practices and key considerations, identified by your peers, for providers who wish to adopt Rapid Start as a standard of care in their own setting. Access the Compendium of Best Practices here.
Hear patients and medical providers talk about the benefits of Rapid Start services in four short videos.
HBV Messaging Workgroup: Final Product
This document is intended to aid clinicians in implementing the new adult hepatitis B recommendations. It contains a summary of the updated recommendations, strategies for implementation in different settings, downloadable resources and handouts for providers, and connections to helpful patient and clinical resources.
CDC is requesting public input on Guidelines for the Use of Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Prevention. This document provides draft Doxy PEP guidelines to prevent some bacterial STIs. The comment period will close in 36 days. An informational presentation is available.
Upcoming Opportunities
Public health already knows that this “ghost of the past” is back but invite all your favorite providers to learn more about what is going on with syphilis and how they can combat it in their clinical practice!
