The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a draft Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 and is inviting comments from stakeholders. 

This document articulates how the Department will achieve its mission through five strategic goals:

1. Reform, Strengthen, and Modernize the Nation's Health Care System
2. Protect the Health of Americans Where They Live, Learn, Work, and Play
3. Strengthen the Economic and Social Well-Being of Americans Across the Lifespan
4. Foster Sound, Sustained Advances in Sciences 
5. Promote Effective and Efficient Management and Stewardship

Each goal is supported by objectives and strategies. View the HHS Draft Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 here.

Draft Plan Includes Strategies Supporting Responses to HIV and Viral Hepatitis 
The draft plan details some strategies that are specific to our national responses to HIV and viral hepatitis. For example, to support early detection and treatment of communicable and chronic diseases, the draft plan calls for HHS agencies to: 

• Improve HIV viral suppression and prevention by increasing engagement and re-engagement activities for screening, care, treatment and support services
• Increase access to hepatitis B and hepatitis C screening, care, and treatment for people with hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection

In addition, to foster sound, sustained advances in the sciences, the draft plan calls for HHS agencies to support basic science and applied prevention and treatment research on approaches to reduce the global burden of HIV, viral hepatitis, enteric and respiratory diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases. 

Importantly, the draft plan addresses one of the emerging threats to our progress against HIV and viral hepatitis: the opioid epidemic. It specifically calls for HHS to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among persons who inject opioids or other drugs by supporting implementation of effective, comprehensive community- and school-based interventions that reduce the infectious risks associated with injection of opioids and other drugs, increase screening and treatment for bloodborne pathogens, and provide access to effective treatment of substance use disorders. 

Further, many of the other strategies detailed in the draft plan also support our responses to HIV and viral hepatitis through promoting preventive health services and implementing prevention interventions; preventing, treating, and controlling infectious diseases; funding and conducting research on opportunities to prevent, treat, and control chronic conditions and communicable diseases; improving surveillance, epidemiology, and laboratory services; and facilitating information sharing, exchange, and alignment to drive timely public health and medical action and response. 

Share Your Comments on the Draft Plan by October 26
Comments may be provided for each goal and objective. Please submit your comments by October 26, 2017.

• Submit comments here via HHS.
• Submit comments here via Federal Register.