The Power of Many Voices: Creating A Task Force to Address Issues Affecting Incarcerated Populations

Background: The National Coalition of STD Directors is a non-profit membership organization that advances sexual health through preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Our members include the 65 state, territorial and large city health departments funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cary out STD prevention and control programs. NCSD is very concerned about the lack of sufficient STD/HIV prevention efforts in correctional settings. Increased prevention protocols require stakeholders from public health, corrections, academia, and community partners at the table to discuss effective strategies for various settings.

Objectives: To ensure that all incarcerated individuals be provided quality STD/HIV and viral hepatitis screening and treatment services To discuss the importance of harm reduction education and interventions, such as condoms for these populations. To strengthen the partnerships between public health and correctional system agencies.

Methods: The presenters will provide an overview of the national effort to identify key representatives and convene a correctional task force that is representative of key stakeholders critical to both public health and correctional agency decision making

Results: The accomplishments of the NCSD Correctional Task Force will be discussed including the first ever submission of "Incarcerated Individuals as a Special Population" in the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines.

Conclusions: Replicating the recommended models for STD/HIV prevention is not always possible in correctional settings as there are varying privacy and safety matters involved; however collaborative partnerships of key decision makers may reduce some of the challenges to quality sexual health care within the correctional setting.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: Creative partnerships and collaborations are critical to the continued success of sexual health programs, especially during stressed economic times resulting in decreased resources.