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Learning Objective:
: By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:
1. Understand the potential benefits of integrated services
2. Identify program linkages that support service integration
3. Apply lessons learned to further hepatitis service integration
Background:
Hepatitis prevention services are provided in states with a range of Health Department organizational structures; nested within HIV, STD, surveillance, immunization and other programs. In each, the overall focus needs to be on providing integrated services at the field or client level regardless of what is going on in the background. Hepatitis services can benefit greatly from collaboration with partner programs which may already have access to and provide services for target populations. It is a missed public health opportunity if individuals at risk for multiple behaviorally related diseases are not offered the range of services needed. These three State AIDS Directors support the integration of hepatitis with HIV and STD services as a viable response to client needs.
Setting:
Various settings in health departments and partner community based agencies in Hawaii, Iowa and New Mexico.
Population e.g. API Youth, MSM, IDU:
Communities that receive public health services including populations at risk for hepatitis: MSM and IDU.
Project Description:
To support integration of hepatitis into existing services the three states have invested heavily in cross program planning, cross training of staff, co-location of services, developed hepatitis components in HIV contracts, and developed new public and private partnerships.
Results/Lessons Learned:
Client level integration of hepatitis services with HIV and STD services is viable and can meet a range of client prevention needs. This integration often depends as much on human side; developing collaborative relationships and training as it does on the fiscal side; identifying sufficient funding and supplies.
See more of H3 - Integration into HIV Programs: The Role of AIDS Directors and AIDS Service Organizations
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference