Updates on National HIV/AIDS Strategy and Viral Hepatitis Action Plan Shared with Primary Care and HIV Providers

Content From: HIV.govPublished: May 21, 20122 min read

Topics

Panel at Health HIV Conference
Along with several federal colleagues, I had the opportunity late last month to discuss the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Since many of the comments may be of interest to a wider audience, I wanted to share some of the highlights of those presentations.

In his opening statement, Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention to scale up training on viral hepatitis diagnosis, care and treatment, noting that thousands of healthcare providers receive training annually through these centers.

Discussing efforts underway to expand and strengthen HIV care at the network of Community Health Centers (CHCs), Dr. Seiji Hayashi, Chief Medical Officer of HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), shared that the 8,100 clinics supported through the health center program serve more than 20 million patients, approximately 90,000 of whom have a primary or secondary diagnosis of HIV according to 2010 data. More than 750,000 patients received HIV tests at CHCs in 2010. BPHC is working to increase the availability of HIV services by moving more health centers along the spectrum of HIV service delivery through various means, including program assistance letters, project officer training on HIV care, technical assistance for clinics, and other incentives.

Other important issues that were discussed during the panel presentation included violence against women, housing insecurity and homelessness, and behavioral health disorders. They were addressed by, respectively, Mr. David Vos, Director of the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS program at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Mary Bowers of the HHS Office on Women’s Health, and Mr. Warren Hewitt of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Their comments helped place HIV/AIDS in a larger context as well as featured related federal activities that the providers may find helpful for their patients.