HCV remains a worldwide epidemic with over 160 million people chronically infected, and 3.9 million infected with HCV in the United States. Baby boomers are five times more likely to have HCV and represent over 75% of Americans with HCV. Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 25% of people living with HIV in the U.S. are co-infected with HCV and 80% of people with HIV who inject drugs also have HCV. While advances in HCV cure therapy have improved survival rates for patients with cirrhosis and reduced overall costs, a comprehensive approach to HCV prevention, care, and treatment is needed to curb the epidemic, especially as the opioid crisis fuels increases in new infections. HealthHCV, an initiative of HealthHIV, advances hepatitis C (HCV) advocacy, education, and training by:

• Designing and delivering medical and consumer education and training programs to improve the ability of organizations, professionals, and individuals to address the needs of people living with HCV.
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• Developing and implementing sound public health policy responsive to the shifting landscape of viral hepatitis and health care in the United States.
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• Conducting health service research that identifies trends across viral hepatitis, HIV, and the broader health care landscapes.

Learn more about HealthHCV’s focus areas, which include:

EDUCATION & TRAINING 

HealthHCV designs and implements medical and consumer education and training programs to improve the ability of organizations, professionals, and individuals to address the needs of people living with viral hepatitis. Its relevant and comprehensive education offerings on HCV screening, care, and treatment focus in HIV care and primary care settings. HealthHCV delivers both in-person education and training at the SYNChronicity national conference (SYNC) and online training through virtual learning platforms. Offerings include:

• HealthHCV’s 20×20 Initiative: Increasing HCV Screening and Care by 2020^TM that connects health centers across the country to continuing medical education (CME) and individualized training to increase HCV screening in their practices.
• Addressing the Evolving Opioid and HCV Epidemics Through Community Engagement and Education online training program highlighting both urban and rural strategies for responding to the co-occurring epidemics.
• The new HealthHIV’s HCV Training & Certificate Program^TM, which will be launched in late 2019.s
• HCV & Opioid Institute hosted at SYNC 2019, included presentations from experts on:
  • Opioids and Hepatitis C Overview
  • The Circle Model Program developed by the Hepatitis C Mentoring and Support Group (HCMSG)
  • The REACH Program, Mt. Sinai’s Harm Reduction Model
  • Buprenorphine Implementation for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in New York State
  • Integrating Medication Assisted Treatment in Primary Care
• The HCV Health Track at SYNC 2019, included presentations from experts on:
  • State and Local HCV Elimination
  • HCV Microelimination in San Francisco
  • Navigating HCV Care in the Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Visualizing HCV to End the Epidemic using HepVu
  • Routine HCV Screening on US-Mexican Border
  • Universal HCV Birth-Cohort Screening in a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC)
  • Addressing HCV Treatment Barriers in an FQHC
  • HCV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
  • Medical Case Management Models for HCV
  • HCV Treatment Access for People Who Use Drugs
  • Wound Care and HCV Care for People Who Inject Drugs

ADVOCACY

HealthHCV’s advocacy initiatives focus on increasing the number of individuals aware of their HCV infection; improving access to cure therapy for people living with chronic HCV infection; and building surveillance and research capacity nationwide. These all serve to help develop sound national and state policies to support the needs of people living with HCV. Some of HealthHCV’s advocacy efforts include:

• Advocacy discussion at SYNC 2019, which included presentations from experts on:
  • State of HCV in the U.S.
  • Federal Advocacy on HCV & Opioid Epidemics
  • HCV and Criminalization
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RESEARCH & EVALUATION

HealthHCV conducts health service research and evaluation that identifies trends across viral hepatitis, HIV, primary care and the broader health care landscapes. HealthHCV is committed to collecting and reporting data, including its State of HCV Care national survey (which can be viewed and downloaded here), and producing evidenced-based advocacy, education, and training programs and resources.

HealthHCV has released Third Annual HealthHCV State of HCV Care National Survey Report. Read the release here and download the report here.