Policy Updates: Hill Happenings and Administration Activities
Hill Happenings
FY2025 Appropriations
House Republicans are working to select a new Appropriations Committee Chair after former Chair Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX-12) stepped down from leadership following the completion of fiscal year 2024 (FY2024) appropriations bills on March 23. On April 3, Rep. Aderholt (R-AL-04) sent a letter requesting a delay on a GOP Steering Committee meeting to select a recommendation for the new chair scheduled for April 9. The meeting is scheduled to proceed, however, with Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK-04) expected to win the steering committee’s endorsement. Rep. Cole has signaled that he wants to work quickly to close out the FY2025 process, marking a departure from the protracted spending cycles of the past few years. Once the GOP Steering Committee recommends a candidate, the full GOP conference will vote to approve the candidate.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
NASTAD Calls on Congress to Fund CDC, HRSA in FY2025
On March 26, NASTAD and the CDC Coalition called on Congress to provide strong funding for the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and its programs in the FY2025 spending bill. The coalition highlighted CDC’s role in combating health threats and epidemics, including HIV and viral hepatitis, and developing a strong public health workforce and disease surveillance infrastructure. Notably, 80% of CDC funding supports public health and prevention activities through state, tribal, local and territorial health organizations and agencies, national public health partners and academic institutions.
Additionally, on April 1, NASTAD and the Friends of HRSA Coalition called on Congress to provide strong funding for programs housed under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the FY2025 spending bill. HRSA operates key health programs serving people with HIV or viral hepatitis, including federally qualified community health centers and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The coalition highlighted HRSA’s role in improving the health of people at highest risk for poor health outcomes by increasing access to quality, affordable care across its many programs.
NASTAD Calls on Congress to Fund Global LGBTQI+ Programs in FY2025
On April 1, NASTAD joined a coalition of over 100 organizations and called on Congress to protect investments in health and human rights programs that serve LGBTQI+ people abroad. The coalition highlighted the progress made through the Department of State Global Equality Fund and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Inclusive Development Hub’s Protection of LGBTQI+ Persons, which are funded through the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill. Additionally, the coalition urged Congress to protect funding for these programs in light of a wave of anti-LGBTQI+ persecution in many countries.
Administration Activities
CDC Issues 2022 Hepatitis Surveillance Report and 2024 National Progress Report
On April 3, CDC released the 2022 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report and 2024 National Progress Report. The reports showed progress on decreasing new hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, and a reduction in HCV mortality. However, CDC targets for reduced HBV mortality were not met, signaling a need to expand uptake of expanded screening and testing recommendations and increasing access to care and appropriate treatment for persons with chronic HBV. Additionally, the overall prevalence of HCV remains high, reflecting the need to expand investments in HCV testing and treatment, especially among people who inject drugs and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native persons.
White House Announces New Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy
On April 8, the White House announced that Francisco Ruiz has been selected as the new Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). Ruiz is a seasoned public health expert renowned for his extensive collaboration with community-based organizations, national coalitions, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels, including NASTAD. Additionally, Ruiz is the first-ever Latino serving as the ONAP Director and is also a person living with HIV. Ruiz is taking over the role from Harold Phillips. Congratulations, Francisco!
PACHA Announces New Executive Director
On April 1, Kaye Hayes, now former Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), announced that Caroline Talev will serve as Executive Director of PACHA and the advisory council’s Designated Federal Officer (DFO). PACHA is a federal advisory committee housed under the HHS Office of Infectious Disease Policy (OIDP) that provides advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of HHS regarding programs, policies, and research to promote effective HIV diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and quality services. Talev has served as the Council’s Alternate DFO since 2019, so in addition, Timothy Harrison, PhD, Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), now serves as the Alternate DFO for PACHA.
HHS Updates Guidance on Procurement of Jynneos Vaccine to Prevent Mpox
On April 2, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated guidance regarding health department procurement of Jynneos, the only FDA-approved preventive vaccine for mpox, after manufacturer Bavarian Nordic announced that it would put the vaccine on the commercial market on April 1. Health departments can continue to use the supply previously ordered from HHS and then obtain Jynneos from preferred commercial wholesalers. On April 30, 2024, at 9:00 AM ET, HHS will close the current mechanism of ordering against thresholds by setting all thresholds to zero. If a provider requires additional supply after that date in circumstances where commercial supply is not available or accessible, JYNNEOS will be available by request using the established out-of-cycle request process. Ordering of the HHS-procured JYNNEOS is anticipated to fully close in early-to-mid-August 2024. Click here to read the full HHS notice.
CDC Updates National Transgender HIV Testing Day Materials
April 18 is National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD), an important day to highlight the impact of HIV, and promote ways to get tested and address HIV stigma among transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. This year for NTHTD, CDC is promoting the Together Take Me Home (TTMH) program that provides free HIV self-tests to people 17 years or older, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Check out the latest edition of CDC’s social media toolkit, which includes posts that direct people to the TTMH portal for ordering up to 2 free HIV self-tests every 90 days, and free resources for NTHTD.
Resources
CDC: National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
“Almost half of young people aged 13-24 with HIV do not know they have it. April 10 is National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a great opportunity to raise awareness about HIV testing with young audiences and educate them about prevention and treatment. Use our free social media toolkit with ready-to-share messages and graphics in English and Spanish, as well as other campaign resources, to reach and inform young people. Help youth stay healthy.”
NMAC Training: ESCALATE
“ESCALATE will conduct a three-day training specifically tailored for RWHAP medical providers and upper RWHAP management, in Seattle, WA scheduled from April 22nd to 24th, 2024. This condensed program encompasses all vital components of the usual five-day training but is designed for participants who need to remain accessible to their clinics, and will follow NMAC’s Biomedical Conference. To submit your application, please visit: https://targethiv.org/escalate/training. For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marshun Redmond at mredmond@nmac.org.”
KFF Health News: U.S. Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS: Trends Over Time
“Federal funding for HIV has increased significantly over the course of the epidemic, rising from just a few hundred thousand dollars in FY 1982 to about $43.0 billion in FY 2022 for combined domestic and global efforts. However, it represents just a small fraction (<1%) of the overall federal budget of the United States. The majority of HIV funding (57%) in FY 2022, and the driver of growth in the HIV budget over time, was spending on mandatory domestic care and treatment programs through Medicaid and Medicare, as more people are living with HIV in the United States than ever before, new treatments have become available, and the cost of medical care has increased.”
GU O’Neill Institute:
- Expanding Access to Long Acting HIV Prevention and Treatment Through Mobile Pharmacies
- “Innovative longer-acting (LA) products have been developed that give users alternatives to daily pill taking that offer the potential to increase adherence and persistence to medication regimens…While potentially transformative, uptake of these new LA products has been slow and efforts are needed to expand access.”
- Barriers to Pharmacist-Administered Longer-Acting Injectable PrEP
- “PrEP in new settings and expanding scope of practice to allow a broader range of health professionals to administer it could help to address current gaps and barriers to access.”
GU O’Neill Institute: Dr. Anthony S. Fauci To Join Georgetown Law’s O’Neill Institute as Distinguished Senior Scholar
“The O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci as our Distinguished Senior Scholar…As a Distinguished Senior Scholar, Dr. Fauci joins the O’Neill Institute and Georgetown University community in advancing the right to health and providing a critical perspective on identifying and responding to urgent national and global public health concerns.”
JAMA: Integrated Hepatitis C–Opioid Use Disorder Care Through Facilitated Telemedicine: A Randomized Trial
“Facilitated telemedicine integrated into an opioid treatment program led to better hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure rates compared with usual referral-based care, a randomized clinical trial showed. In an intention-to-treat analysis, sustained virologic response (SVR) rates were substantially higher for those who had facilitated telemedicine compared with those referred for usual care (90.3% vs 39.4%), with a nearly threefold higher odds of achieving a cure (OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.0-3.5, P<0.001), Andrew Talal, MD, MPH, of the University at Buffalo, and colleagues reported in JAMA”
Job Opportunities
Seattle & King County Health Department – Washington State
- Overdose Prevention and Response Operations Manager
- Plays a pivotal role in supervising and coordinating various initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of opioid overdose within the community. Your responsibilities will involve managing the operations of the work unit. This includes but is not limited to overseeing the work and program managers of key areas, including Training, Harm Reduction Clearinghouse, Naloxone Vending Machines, and the Overdose to Action - CDC grant. Collaboration with other team members such as the Community Initiatives Manager and the Opioid Settlement Coordinator will be essential to ensure a comprehensive approach to tackling the overdose crisis.
- Community Initiatives Program Manager
- The Community Initiatives Manager will serve as a dynamic leader in the Overdose Prevention and Response (OP&R) team and be responsible for overseeing the implementation and ongoing success of various community initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to overdoses in King County. Reporting directly to the Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Strategic Advisor on behavioral health, this role requires exceptional project management skills, strategic thinking, strong supervision skills, and a passion for community engagement and overdose prevention. The Project/Program Manager IV will primarily focus on initiatives such as Community-based Drug Checking, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response to overdose prevention through a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, overdose prevention with homeless services providers, place-based post-overdose follow-up, and potentially other community-driven efforts as they emerge.
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.
Program Content and Training Specialist, Supporting Harm Reduction Programs (SHaRP) – University of Washington
This position is part of a cooperative agreement award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide technical assistance about monitoring and evaluation to syringe services programs (SSPs) as part of the National Harm Reduction Technical Assistance Center. One of the primary projects of this award is to provide technical assistance (TA) to SSPs for monitoring and evaluation activities. The University of Washington is working in collaboration with the CDC, SAMHSA, NASTAD, the National Harm Reduction Coalition, and other TA partners to provide a suite of technical assistance support to individual programs.
Communicable Disease Epidemiologist – Cheyenne, Wyoming
This position will serve as the Communicable Disease AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Coordinator, Wyoming TB Controller, and Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) for the Communicable Disease (CD) Treatment Program. Assist in outbreak response to ensure the safety of Wyoming residents; by interviewing cases for exposure information, updating news outlets on the progress of outbreak control, analyzing exposure data utilizing epidemiological and statistical methods.
Open Positions – New York State
The New York State Department of Health, in partnership with Health Research, Inc, has various job openings, including some within the AIDS Institute. Please visit this link to learn about their current opportunities.
News Bulletin
Start of a New Trend? Hepatitis C Cases Drop in the U.S.
“New U.S. hepatitis C infections dropped slightly in 2022, a surprising improvement after more than a decade of steady increases in a new tab or window, federal health officials said Wednesday. Experts are not sure whether the 6% decline is a statistical blip or the start of a downward trend…Drops in infection rates did not occur across the board. They declined for white Americans, but continued to rise in Black, Latino, and Native American communities, according to Neil Gupta, MD, MPH, who oversees the branch of the CDC that tracks viral hepatitis.”
Mpox cases in the US are on the rise as vaccination rates lag and new threats loom
“Mpox cases in the United States are twice as high as they were at this time last year, and experts are stressing the importance of improving vaccination coverage as transmission risks rise. There have been 511 cases reported this year through March 16, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — compared with fewer than 300 cases by late March 2023. Transmission rates are still far below levels from 2022, when there were tens of thousands of cases in the US. But after a quieter year last year, experts say the US is vulnerable to increases in spread in a number of ways.”
Judge rejects group’s attempt to open safe injection site in Philadelphia
“A federal judge in Philadelphia rejected a nonprofit’s attempt to open a safe drug-injection site in the city. Safehouse, the organization that seeks to provide overdose prevention services, said the threat of prosecution by the Department of Justice over potentially violating drug laws is hindering its religious rights as a group.”
Oregon governor signs a bill recriminalizing drug possession into law
“Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday signed into law a bill that recriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs, ending a first-in-the-nation experiment with decriminalization that was hobbled by implementation issues.
The new law rolls back a 2020 voter-approved measure by making so-called personal use possession a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. It also establishes ways for treatment to be offered as an alternative to criminal penalties by encouraging law enforcement agencies to create deflection programs that would divert people to addiction and mental health services instead of the criminal justice system.”