World AIDS day is recognized on December 1st each year to support those living with and affected by HIV, and remember those who have died from HIV-related illnesses. This year, the theme for World AIDS Day is “World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit.” NACCHO has gathered the following resources to help you commemorate World AIDS Day in your communities!
World AIDS Day 2023 Theme
2023 marks the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day! The theme, “World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit,” serves as an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve accomplished since the first World AIDS Day in 1988. Throughout these 35 years, we’ve made incredible strides regarding HIV/AIDS due to several different factors, like medical advancements and increased access to prevention and treatment. To read more about this year’s theme, check out this article from HIV.gov.
Additional Reading and Resources: World AIDS Day 2023
- Check out CDC’s Dear Colleague letter regarding World AIDS Day 2023 here.
- World AIDS Day Toolkit by Advocates for Youth, featuring social media templates from CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign, HIV self-test kit information, resources for young people, and advocacy messages led by PrEP4All to #SaveHIVFunding.
Rapid Start Resources
Rapid Start - the provision of ART to a person within 7 days of testing positive for HIV or re-engaging in HIV care - is an essential strategy for ending the HIV epidemic. Evidence shows that Rapid Start decreases time from HIV diagnosis to HIV care and viral suppression and increases uptake of HIV treatment. Check out the materials below to learn about how Rapid Start can help people achieve U=U and find resources about implementing Rapid Start in your communities.
Rapid Start Resources on TargetHIV
Cicatelli Associates Inc (CAI) & NACCHO | Fall 2023
CAI, in partnership with NACCHO, led the HRSA-funded Rapid ART Dissemination Assistance Provider (DAP) Initiative to identify and promote the replication of best practices in providing Rapid Start services as the standard of care for people living with HIV served by Ryan White HIV/AIDS Programs (RWHAP). Visit TargetHIV to learn more about the Rapid Start DAP Initiative and access resources such as a compendium of best practices, promotional videos for Rapid Start, model service delivery examples, a cost estimation tool, and (coming soon!) a playbook for jurisdictional implementation of Rapid Start as a standard of care.
Big Ideas Brief: Greater State and Local Leadership is Needed to Scale-Up Rapid Start Programs
O’Neill Institute | November 28, 2023
The O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University recently released a Big Ideas Brief describing six priority areas for federal, state, and local public health leaders and decision-makers for expanding the adoption of Rapid Start approaches. The policy brief – and its “Big Ideas in Brief” 2-page summary – lays out evidence for Rapid Start as an essential tool for achieving positive health outcomes for people with HIV and shares key actions health departments can take as leaders in promoting Rapid Start.
Check out the full Issue Brief here and a summary of the big ideas here.
Toolkit: Systems, Partnerships, and Financing Strategies to Build and Expand Rapid Start
NASTAD | Oct 27, 2023
This resource from NASTAD focuses on the financing strategies RWHAP EHE recipients should consider as they develop Rapid Start programs and the systems level partnerships required to make a program successful.
Community Partnerships Resources
Local Health Departments (LHDs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are at the forefront of HIV prevention, care, and treatment. LHDs facilitate collaboration between community organizations, and these collaborations are crucial in improving HIV prevention and care. Take a look at these community partnership resources to get an idea of the kind of collaboration we foster at NACCHO.
CDC Southern Listening Tour: Coming to a city near you in 2024!
NACCHO, SAC, and CDC Divisions of HIV and STD are coming to these 4 cities in 2024 for an open conversation about sexual health in your community:
- Houston
- Baton Rouge
- Memphis
- Miami
The goal of this community conversation series is to improve community partnerships, engage HIV Prevention and Care stakeholders to address social determinants and comorbidities of HIV, and encourage feedback on best practices to improve the success of local Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) plans. Insights from these meetings will be used by CDC and NACCHO to improve the capacity of community-based organizations and health departments to collaborate with each other and other federal partners, and to create and maintain effective community relationships. For more information or details about registration, follow the QR code on the flyer attached. If you have any questions, contact Darnell Barrington, Senior Program Analyst at [email protected].
EHE Superstars: Using Art to Improve Youth HIV Awareness in Houston
This is the first blog in a new series highlighting collaborative work between health departments and community partners in jurisdictions working to improve community health and inequities through the national Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative. The EHE Initiative aims to reduce new HIV infections in the United States by 75% by 2025 and by 90% by 2030. To recommend a program to be featured, reach out at [email protected].
EHE Superstars: Building Women’s Life and Leadership Capacity through Housing in Detroit
Check out NACCHO’s second blog in our series highlighting outstanding collaborations between health departments and community partners in jurisdictions working to improve community health and inequities through the national Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative.
Syndemics and Status Neutral Resources
The syndemic of HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and overdose (as well as other substance use-related harms) is characterized by dramatic increases in STIs, hepatitis, and overdose, as well as outbreaks of HIV. Addressing these trends requires a syndemic approach, one that works through these public health challenges collaboratively.
NACCHO is also dedicated to promoting a status neutral approach towards HIV prevention and care. The resources below offer information regarding the status neutral approach and addressing HIV prevention and care though a syndemic lens.
Funding Opportunity: Support and Scale Up of HIV Prevention Services in Sexual Health Clinics (CDC-RFA-PS-24-0003)
CDC has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcement, PS-24-0003, that supports the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative by scaling up HIV prevention and care services in sexual health clinics, including STI specialty clinics. This NOFO builds on progress made scaling up HIV prevention services in STI clinics through Component C of CDC’s PS20-2010 cooperative agreement. PS-24-0003 will further strengthen the infrastructure of sexual health clinics and improve service delivery to address the syndemic of HIV & other STIs and foster additional strategic partnerships. Eligible applicants include public and nonprofit private entities that are providers of clinical sexual health services in the proposed service area, or plan to provide the majority of funds to provider(s) of clinical sexual health services in the proposed area.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the CDC-provided work plan template in their application.
An informational webinar for applicants was held on November 6, 2023. Review the FAQs and access the applicant resources for more information.
Full details for this cooperative agreement are available at grants.gov
A Status Neutral Approach to Improve HIV Prevention and Health Outcomes for Racial and Ethnic Minorities
NACCHO is proud to work with JSI as an evaluation and technical assistance provider on the HRSA Special Project of National Significance (SPNS), A Status Neutral Approach to Improve HIV Prevention and Health Outcomes for Racial and Ethnic Minorities, supporting four Ryan White Part A jurisdictions in expanding access to whole-person, comprehensive, continuous, culturally-responsive status neutral services to reduce stigma, promote equity, and strengthen efforts to achieve national HIV prevention and care goals. Learn more about the program here.
JSI’s Integrated HIV/AIDS Planning Technical Assistance Center (IHAP TAC)
JSI’s IHAP TAC is a great place to get support in aligning HIV prevention and care planning to promote a status neutral and syndemic approach. IHAP offers a range of services, including support for RWHAP Parts A and B recipients, CDC DHP-funded grantees, and their respective planning bodies in integrating planning processes for HIV prevention and care. IHAP also conducts national and targeted training and provides technical assistance activities, fostering peer-to-peer knowledge exchange to bolster Integrated Planning efforts. Check it out here.
