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Background: The National IPP created and supported opportunities for cross-sector cooperation, coordination, and collaboration between state and local STD programs, family planning programs, public health laboratories, and other key stakeholders. The initiative increased cost-effectiveness and efficiency of chlamydia/gonorrhea (CT/GC) screening in key sites; improved the quality of client services and partner management; amplified understanding of CT/GC prevention, screening and treatment; and worked effectively with national and regional partners. In 2012, a network of STD-related Reproductive Health Training and Technical Assistance Centers (STDRHTTACs) was established to support STD programs, family planning programs, and public health laboratories to continue delivering high quality STD services.
Methods: A national scan of STDRHTTACs was conducted to identify strategies for continuing collaborations to strengthen the quality and delivery of STD services.
Results: Nationally, STDRHTTACs have communicated with former IPP partners to discuss the project’s new role. Various activities include a coordinated national needs assessment and training and technical assistance to support programs in billing for STD services, a prevalence monitoring toolkit to support programs in monitoring and evaluating CT/GC screening efforts, and a toolkit to guide STD and family planning clinics through the process of building onsite CT/GC treatment dispensing capacity, and an evaluation project to inform various aspects of the chlamydia research agenda.
Conclusions: While significant work on public health program sustainability continues through the STDRHTTACs, more opportunities are needed for the STDRHTTACs to continue leveraging long-standing relationships with STD, family planning, public health laboratory and other key stakeholders to support broader STD AAPPS work across the country.