Hepatitis C and Local Health Departments Educational Series

NACCHO’s online educational series covers topics across the hepatitis C virus (HCV) care continuum from prevention to cure. The series highlights the roles for local health departments across the continuum and shares examples of successful strategies for expanding and strengthening HCV programs and services. Each module in the series includes pre-recorded lectures, discussion guides, resources, and tools.

Module 1

An Overview and Introduction to the Role of Local Health Departments


Module 1 provides the foundational information for NACCHO’s educational series on local health departments and hepatitis C virus (HCV). It covers the epidemiology of HCV, advances in HCV treatment, the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan, CDC's testing recommendations for persons born between 1945 and 1965, and an example from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health about leveraging partnerships to address HCV.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the epidemiologic profile of HCV infection in the United States and the HCV test, care, and cure continuum
  • Increase understanding of how the HCV epidemic has changed in recent years, especially among persons who inject drugs
  • Increase knowledge of the HCV treatment landscape, including recent advances in HCV treatment and what these changes mean for public health

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Increase knowledge of the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan, including how efforts are coordinated at the federal level and what it means for local public health practice
  • Increase understanding of how the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan Stakeholders' Workbook can be used to support strategic planning at the local level
  • Gain new insights into how local health departments can support implementation of the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan
  • List new opportunities for HCV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Increase understanding of the role of public health in HCV prevention and strategies to enhance HCV testing and care
  • Describe the assessment and policy development for HCV testing recommendations for persons born 1945-1965, also referred to as the baby boomer testing recommendations
  • Increase awareness of the CDC's Know More Hepatitis Campaign and resources available to promote this campaign
  • Gain new insights into how local health departments can provide assurance in implementing the baby boomer testing recommendations

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Increase knowledge of CDC's Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator program
  • Describe low cost strategies and leverage points for addressing HCV through health department activities
  • List potential partners and stakeholders to support health department hepatitis-related efforts
  • List key steps health departments can take to develop strong working partnerships to support coordination of HCV efforts within their community
  • Gain new insights into how health departments can address HCV in their communities

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Gain an overarching understanding of Module 1 content
  • Gain insight into peer questions and concerns as explored through a question-and-answer session

Webcast Materials

  • Webcast Recording: Module 1 Overview (Presented by Claudia Vellozzi, M.D., MPH, Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC; Corinna Dan, RN, MPH, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, HHS; and Alex Shirreffs, MPH, Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator, Philadelphia Department of Public Health) - 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • Presentation Slides
Module 2

Building the Capacity of Local Health Departments to Address Hepatitis C

Module 2 shares methods for strengthening andmaintaining capacity for HCV care, treatment, and cure. The modulesuggests approaches to planning, developing, and implementing practices andpolicies across the HCV prevention, care, and treatment continuum, and to establishingHCV as a local public health priority. The module highlights systems-basedapproaches and innovative strategies to collecting data to develop a localpicture of HCV in your jurisdiction; increasing antibody and RNA confirmatorytesting for HCV; reaching populations impacted by HCV in both traditionalcare settings and nontraditional environments; and participating ineffective HCV policy-making and advocacy.

Learning Objectives

  • Summarize the recent developments in HCV treatment and describe how these advances create an opportunity to address HCV that did not exist previously
  • Outline the role local health departments do and can play in addressing viral hepatitis and how these roles fit into the core functions of public health
  • Describe potential leverage points, both internal and external to the health department, to address HCV within their communities
  • Explain the importance of having a local plan for addressing HCV, what should be included in it, and where tools and resources can be found to support the development of your plan

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Discuss what sources of local data are needed to develop an HCV epidemiological profile, and the advantages of having local data
  • Explain ways to complement existing data to get a better idea of the disease burden
  • Describe how qualitative data can be used to better understand the local context
  • Summarize the steps along the HCV care continuum and what pieces of information could be included in your local continuum

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Explain CDC’s testing sequence and testing recommendations
  • Identify barriers, challenges, and systems-based solutions to increase HCV testing
  • Summarize at least four systems-level solutions for increase HCV testing in routine care settings
  • Describe the importance of confirmatory testing and barriers that exist to confirming an antibody test with RNA testing

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the health disparities that exist for risk of hepatitis C infection and for health outcomes related to HCV
  • Recall the common barriers that exist to accessing HCV services
  • Explain ways to engage those most impacted by HCV, particularly people who inject drugs
  • List tools, resources, and educational opportunities to increase testing and linkage to care in outreach settings
  • Identify barriers to accessing services for populations most impacted by HCV and strategies for overcoming these barriers

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the importance of building and supporting local capacity for HCV care, treatment, and cure
  • Summarize key treatment access challenges and barriers that cause drop-offs along the HCV care continuum
  • Describe the importance of working with primary care providers and strategies for engaging providers
  • Identify the characteristics of a successful referral network, the role of public health in establishing the network, and support services that can be provided to improve linkage to care

Webcast Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the systemic, structural barriers that exist to accessing HCV treatment
  • Discuss recent changes in the policy landscape and what role local health departments have in implementing these changes and in advocating for future changes supportive of HCV efforts

Webcast Materials

Supported by educational grants from Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, and from Gilead Sciences, Inc.

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