Newsletters

Hepatitis Happenings and Updates

Zakiya Grubbs, M.P.H,

Rita Isabel Lechuga, M.D., M.P.H,

Boatemaa Ntiri-Reid, J.D., M.P.H

Mar 15, 2024

NASTAD Updates

Upcoming NASTAD-led Work Group Calls

Updated workgroup meeting dates and times are listed below. Please be sure to register for the workgroups you would like to attend. If you would like to join the Hepatitis Workgroup calls, email Zakiya Grubbs (zgrubbs@nastad.org) or Isabel Lechuga (rlechuga@nastad.org). For the Newer Hepatitis Staff calls email Jasmine West (jwest@nastad.org).

Hepatitis Workgroup Calls

Bimonthly call to discuss recent hepatitis updates. Each meeting includes updates on hepatitis advocacy and policy, and drug user health. Participants are encouraged to send in Hot Topics for discussion to hepatitis@nastad.org prior to the meeting. For meeting link, please email Zakiya Grubbs (zgrubbs@nastad.org) or Isabel Lechuga (rlechuga@nastad.org).

Schedule: Bimonthly calls every first Tuesday from 3:30 - 4:30 PM ET
Upcoming dates: April 2, June 4, August 6, October 1, 2024
Intended Audience: Closed to health department prevention and surveillance staff.

Hepatitis C Linkage to Care Workgroup

This workgroup, led by Amelia Salmanson, Utah Viral Hepatitis Coordinator and HepTAC consultant, is a space to share best practices and learn from other jurisdictions about disease intervention specialists (DIS), linkage to care, and patient navigation.

Schedule: Quarterly calls from 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
Upcoming dates: May 16, August 15, 2024
Intended Audience: Health department prevention and/or surveillance staff working on HCV linkage to care.
Registration: https://nastad.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtfuCgpjMpGtIaEJBAq0HeBp0Rsf6I-KF-

Perinatal Surveillance and Case Management Workgroup (new!)

For jurisdictions looking to start or have previously established a perinatal hepatitis surveillance and case management program, this space is for sharing challenges and breakthroughs. Discussion topics include identifying cases within existing surveillance, developing a registry, infant follow-up testing and case management, and provider outreach.

Schedule: Bimonthly, then quarterly calls from 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
Upcoming dates: April 11, June 20, September 19, 2024
Intended Audience: Health department prevention and/or surveillance staff working on perinatal hepatitis B and C surveillance and case management.
Registration: https://nastad.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArd-6tqDgrH9F9M64LUFClne5d2Ldbmiec

Outbreak Detection Planning Work Group

Collaborative space for jurisdictions to discuss developing and implementing an outbreak response plan for Hepatitis A, B, and C. Jurisdictions can share best practices and outbreak response activities, including monitoring surveillance data to identify outbreaks. The featured jurisdiction for February is Massachusetts.

Schedule: Monthly calls every fourth Tuesday from 3:30 - 4:30 PM ET
Upcoming dates: March 26 (cancelled), April 23, May 28, June 18, 2024 (note the date has changed)
Intended audience: Health department prevention and surveillance staff working on developing and implementing an outbreak response plan as a part of PS 21-2103 Component 1 grant activities.
Registration: https://nastad.zoom.us/j/84875059553

Newer Hepatitis Staff Calls

These calls are being restructured in 2023 and are open to all new hepatitis health department staff who started their roles in the respective quarter of the call date. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet-and-greet others and familiarize themselves with NASTAD’s Newer Hepatitis Staff Toolkit. Reach out to Jasmine West (jwest@nastad.org) to be added to the invitation.

Schedule: Quarterly calls from 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Upcoming dates: March 25, June 24, September 23, 2024
Intended Audience: Newer hepatitis program staff (e.g. program coordinators, surveillance staff, etc.)

VLC Recordings/Upcoming Sessions

On March 20, we will host a VLC session, “Understanding state immunizations programs and section 317 immunization programs to increase access to adult hepatitis vaccination services” with presenters Heather Bush, Utah Department of Health and HepTAC Consultant and Ami Gandhi, Georgia Department of Public Health and HepTAC Consultant.

Earlier this month, we held a VLC session on “Hepatitis B and Delta in the harm reduction space” with presenters Beatrice Zovich and Holly Moore from the Hepatitis B Foundation. Recordings can be found here.

Please note the April 17 VLC session has been moved to April 24.

We are looking for speakers to share their viral hepatitis expertise during the Virtual Learning Collaborative Year 3. Please indicate on this form which dates and topics you are interested in presenting or moderating. Thank you!

Please visit the VLC microsite for more information and to watch recordings from previous VLC sessions.

Hepatitis Policy Updates

FDA Announces Intent to Downclassify HBV In Vitro Diagnostics 

On January 31, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) announced that it will initiate a reclassification process for certain in vitro diagnostic (IVD) exams, including nucleic acid & serology-based IVDs to aid in the diagnosis of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection and/or for use to aid in the management of HBV infected patients. Currently, HBV IVDs are classified in class III (high risk), which imposes burdensome premarket authorization processes that can disincentivize manufacturers from bringing diagnostic tests to market. FDA aims to reclassify HBV IVDs to class II (moderate risk), bringing HBV diagnostics in line with the HCV tests, which were down classified to class II in 2021. 

NASTAD Submits Comment in Support of HEDIS HBV Vaccination Quality Measures  

On March 13, NASTAD submitted comment in support of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) proposal to add preventive hepatitis B vaccination as a new Adult Immunization Status (AIS-E) indicator in the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) set of quality measures. The inclusion of a HBV vaccination indicator will lead to gains in disease prevention and surveillance, improve health outcomes for people living with HBV, and boost provider capacity to close gaps in preventive care access for adults by incentivizing providers to build capacity to screen patients and administer HBV vaccines, especially in health systems with value-based payment arrangements. Additionally, the updated quality measures will build upon recent policy changes that are intended to increase utilization of HBV screening and immunization, such as expanded adult HBV screening and vaccination recommendations that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated in 2023. 

Additional Updates

Hepatitis National Network for Education and Testing (HepNET)

Formed through a partnership between NASTAD, NVHR and NACCHO, the Hepatitis Network for Education and Testing (HepNET) is a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing racial justice and health equity in viral hepatitis care, with a focus on people who use drugs. Click here to become a member completely free! Members get access to HepNET's resource warehouse, webinars and events, invitations, technical assistance opportunities, and the chance to participate in HepNET's learning communities.

NASTAD Membership Directory Update

We are updating our membership directory to include both viral hepatitis prevention and surveillance points of contact. Please provide the contact information for your jurisdiction here, and review the current directory here. Thank you!

Reporting Requirements for Negative HIV and Hepatitis C Test Results

In February, the NASTAD Policy and Legislative Affairs team conducted research on state laws regarding negative HIV and hepatitis C reporting requirements. Here are the links to the results and research protocol.

HepTAC Consultant Spotlight

Did you know that the Hepatitis team works closely with many consultants to support TA requests and resource development? HepTAC Consultants provide valuable expertise in hepatitis prevention and surveillance. Each month we will spotlight a different consultant so that you can get to know them better. Information on all consultants can be found here and if you would like to request TA, please email hepatitis@nastad.org.

Amelia Salmanson, HepTAC Consultant

Amelia Salmanson is the Viral Hepatitis and Vaccine Preventable Disease Manager at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. She received her Masters in Public Health at Westminster College in 2017, where she conducted a survey among people who use drugs to help guide syringe services in the state of Utah. Since this time, Amelia has been working to support harm reduction and healthcare access for people who use drugs, specifically those with hepatitis C. Amelia is a huge advocate for harm reduction and drug user health; working to support both boots-on-the-ground efforts and systematic change within traditional service settings. Amelia has expertise in case classification and surveillance; hepatitis C elimination; correctional health; and perinatal hepatitis C. She has been part of the NASTAD HepTAC consultant team since 2019 and loves to engage with peers across the country. In her free time, Amelia enjoys hiking, skiing, cooking, golfing, and spending time with her husband, Eric; dog, Mazel; and kitties, Dexter & Wizzy.

Hot Topics: HepTAC TA Requests

We have received a few TA requests and we are requesting your assistance:

Are you using incentives to increase uptake of rapid HCV antibody testing? Please reach out to Colleen Flanigan at colleen.flanigan@health.ny.gov.
If you have worked with your state drug and alcohol authority on the State Opioid Response grant to implement hepatitis services, please reach out to us to share your experiences
We are in the process of developing an adult hepatitis immunization resource and want to know what you all would like to be included. Please fill out the survey here or reach out to us directly.
Examples of viral hepatitis outbreak detection and response plans

If you have any information on the above TA requests, please email hepatitis@nastad.org. Thank you!

Resources

HepVu Releases 2021 Opioids and Hepatitis C Mortality Data

HepVU has recently released new visualizations of state and county-level overdose data for 2021, state-level hepatitis C mortality 2021, and county-level hepatitis C mortality data for 2020. One trend from the data are high rates of opioid prescribing, narcotics overdose, and pain reliever misuse, as well as hepatitis C mortality in the South. Data visualizations can be accessed here.

Hepatitis C State of Medicaid Access 2024 Report Cards

NVHR and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) have recently updated the State of Medicaid Access report for 2024. Since the last update, nine state Medicaid programs have removed prior authorization requirements, sobriety restrictions, fibrosis restrictions or retreatment restrictions. In total, 28 jurisdictions have removed prior authorization requirements. The 2024 national snapshot can be found here and the state profiles here.

Upcoming Webinars/Meetings  

Upcoming Webinars

The Importance of Routinely Screening for HIV, STIs, Viral Hepatitis and LTBI

March 19, 2024, 10 AM ET

Join Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, President of the American Medical Association (AMA), and Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director of CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) and a retired two-star Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, as they discuss a new toolkit from the AMA to help community health centers and emergency departments routinely screen for these infectious diseases. More information on the toolkit can be found here, and click here to register.

Hepatitis C State of Medicaid Access: 2024 Snapshot

March 21, 2024, 3 - 4 PM ET

Since its creation in 2017, Hepatitis C: State of Medicaid Access has evaluated hepatitis C treatment policies across state Medicaid programs. In response to advocacy and litigation, many states have reduced or eliminated their restrictions, but significant barriers remain in a majority of jurisdictions. Join us on March 21st for our latest snapshot of the hepatitis C treatment landscape and our team’s insights into the road that lies ahead. Register here.

Developing Transformative Health Department and Community-Based Organization Partnerships

March 26, 2024, 1-2:30 PM ET

The CDC Foundation Health Equity and Strategy Office is excited to release Strengthening Partnerships Between Governmental Public Health and Community-Based Organizations, created in partnership with HIP, and with the generous support of Kaiser Permanente. Based on insights from 144+ community-based organizations (CBOs) and health department representatives through interviews, insight sessions, and comprehensive case study and document analysis, the report explores strategic and tactical recommendations for strengthening transformative partnerships between CBOs and governmental health departments. Register for the webinar here.

Archived Webinars 

Virtual Learning Series on Transgender and Gender-Diverse Health

NASTAD, in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, is pleased to present the virtual learning series: “Virtual Learning Series on Transgender and Gender-Diverse Health”. The series consists of four weekly sessions where CT DPH staff and partners explore the importance of prioritizing gender-diverse people in our public health and health equity work, better understand the cultural and historical context of gender diverse people, discuss elements of the provision of gender-affirming care, and learn how to apply the information to everyday work.

International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users 2023 Conference

YouTube recordings are now available for the INHSU 2023 Conference that was held last October in Geneva, Switzerland. Abstracts from the conference will be upload soon to the Conference Archive. For information on the 2024 conference to be held in Athens, Greece on October 8-11, 2024, click here.

Recurring Meetings

CSTE Viral Hepatitis Subcommittee Meetings | First Thursday, every other month at 3 PM ET

The Viral Hepatitis Subcommittee comprises epidemiologists, program coordinators, and others interested in viral hepatitis surveillance and epidemiology. The purpose of this subcommittee is to inform and improve practices related to viral hepatitis surveillance and data analysis in local, state, tribal, and territorial settings, as well as build epidemiologic capacity and support partnerships related to viral hepatitis surveillance. The subcommittee is also charged with reviewing and developing national position statements on viral hepatitis-related topics, including standardized surveillance case definitions.

The Viral Hepatitis Subcommittee holds regular conference calls and webinars to discuss current issues and overarching topics related to viral hepatitis surveillance, such as best practices and lessons learned across jurisdictions, policy around viral hepatitis surveillance, and analyzing viral hepatitis data. For more information, click here.

Conferences/Events (National & Local)

National Viral Hepatitis Meeting

April 16-17, 2024 | Atlanta, GA

This national meeting, being organized by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will be an exciting in-person connection opportunity for partners working in viral hepatitis at the state, local, territorial, federal and national levels. The meeting will provide a venue for dialogue and exchange of expertise on topics such as hepatitis surveillance, prevention program planning and implementation, and outbreak detection and response. This meeting is geared towards Integrated Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention Funding for Health Departments (IVHSP) recipients. Registration can be found here.

National Latinx Conference on HIV, HCV, and SUD

May 2-4, 2024 | El Paso, TX

The National Latinx Conference on HIV/HCV/SUD aims to create opportunities to share information and efforts around health disparities that negatively impact the Latinx population such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD), by bridging the varied disciplines of education, advocacy, and clinical care. Thus, creating better health outcomes for the Latinx population. Register here.

NASTAD 2024 Annual Meeting

May 19-22, 2024 | Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

Registration is now open for the 2024 NASTAD Annual Meeting. Early bird registration is $795 and is open until March 31; the registration fee increases to $850 on April 1. The registration link can be found here.

CSTE Annual Conference

June 9-13, 2024 | Pittsburgh, PA

The CSTE Annual Conference connects more than 2,500 public health epidemiologists from across the country and will include workshops, plenary sessions with leaders in the field of public health, oral breakout sessions, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations. Conference attendees meet and share their expertise in surveillance and epidemiology as well as best practices in a broad range of areas including informatics, infectious diseases, substance use, immunizations, environmental health, occupational health, chronic disease, injury control, and maternal and child health. The Viral Hepatitis Subcommittee is planning a workshop on Sunday, June 9th. Registration can be found here.

NASTAD National HIV and Hepatitis Technical Assistance Meeting

Save the Date: October 16-18, 2024 | Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

Jobs, Fellowships, and Funding Opportunities

CDA Foundation Relink Grant Request for Proposals

The second round of request for proposals for the CDAF Relink Grant is currently open until April 14, 2024 at 12:59 PM MT. The Relink Grant supports linking people diagnosed with HBV/HCV into care. More information can be found here.

Public Health Physician, Connecticut Department of Public Health

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking two Public Health Physicians to join our teams within our Infectious Diseases Section. These positions will help lead our critical programs: the Healthcare Associate Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI-AR) program and the HIV/STD/TB & Hepatitis C surveillance program. Applications are due by March 27, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. Click here for additional information.

Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator – Austin, TX  

Under direction of the Prevention Unit, provides highly advanced, senior-level consultative services and technical assistance as the DSHS viral hepatitis prevention coordinator. Oversees implementation and maintenance of viral hepatitis prevention efforts by identifying ways to integrate viral hepatitis prevention, vaccination, testing, and linkage to care into existing public health, clinical care, and community settings. Responsible for developing a DSHS viral hepatitis prevention plan as well as legislatively-mandated plans, including working with branch staff to solicit input from the public, including experts on Hepatitis, on the tenets of the plan. Apply by April 23. 