Public Health Reports/Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

I am pleased to announce the publication of a Public Health Reports (PHR) supplement, Program Collaboration and Service IntegrationExit Disclaimer. This special issue presents a selection of approaches, studies, and lessons learned from efforts to build greater program collaboration and service integration (PCSI) in STD, viral hepatitis, TB, and HIV prevention and control in the United States.

This PHR supplement opens with a guest editorial authored by CDC colleagues, Dr. Hazel Dean, Deputy Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP); Gustavo Aquino, Associate Director for Program Integration, NCHHSTP; as well as Dr. Kevin Fenton, formerly with CDC and now serving as Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England. Several articles detail innovative approaches to collaborative program design and integrated testing and screening services. This supplement also demonstrates the benefits gained through data harmonization—particularly through registry and database matching—at the local, state, and federal levels.

Promotion and implementation of a comprehensive approach to address STDs, viral hepatitis, TB, and HIV are important cross-cutting goals for CDC in our efforts to prevent and control these diseases. This supplement highlights the need to continually rethink prevention in the face of changing epidemics and syndemics, as well as increased opportunities for prevention through the healthcare system. The potential of expanded healthcare coverage for previously uninsured Americans can help improve health outcomes and may lead to an increased volume of health data that can be used to improve our public health work.

Thank you for your continued commitment to public health and the prevention and control of STDs, viral hepatitis, TB, and HIV. I hope the articles presented in this supplement inform and inspire your efforts.