Policy Updates: Hill Happenings and Administration Activities
Hill Happenings
FY2025 Appropriations
Lawmakers are working to advance a stopgap funding patch by the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) deadline on September 30. The Democrat majority Senate and Republican majority House of Representatives advanced party-line proposals in July, but no overarching bipartisan budget framework emerged, threatening the possibility of a government shutdown on October 1. Appropriators are expected to call for a continuing resolution (CR) that extends FY2024 funding levels through autumn to buy more time to negotiate on the spending proposals and advance a bipartisan spending package after the November general elections.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
Administration Activities
HHS Restocks Mpox Vaccine in Strategic National Stockpile for RWHAP, Community Health Centers
On September 6, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced that it renewed availability of the Mpox JYNNEOS vaccine through the Strategic National Stockpile for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Programs and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) health centers. To assist uninsured and underinsured individuals who would like to get vaccinated against mpox but have not yet due to cost and/or availability, ASPR will ship, at no cost, JYNNEOS vaccine doses to programs starting on September 9, 2024. These vaccines are intended for people who are at high risk of mpox disease and who do not have health care coverage to pay for the vaccines. The Strategic National Stockpile has a limited supply of JYNNEOS doses that expire on October 31, 2024.
Resources
Date: September 9 at 4:00 PM ET
Join us for the #NAIRHHADay2024 webinar on "Addressing HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis B Inequities among African Immigrant Communities in the US: A Conversation with State and Local Partners. We will explore strategies to advance health equity and address HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B disparities in African immigrant and refugee communities. Learn about health departments' roles and contribute your questions during the Q&A!
CDC MMWR: Contact Tracing for Mpox Clade II Cases Associated with Air Travel
“Among more than 1,000 traveler contacts on commercial flights monitored by health departments in the United States during 2021-2022, no secondary cases of clade II mpox were identified.”
HRSA HAB Webinar: An Innovative Approach for Improving STI Screening and Treatment Among Those with or Vulnerable to HIV Acquisition
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2024, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
“Join us for an exciting webinar featuring a groundbreaking intervention, Addressing STIs: Ask. Test. Treat. Repeat., designed to improve routine screening, testing, and treatment of common STIs. This initiative integrates evidence-based interventions into routine, primary HIV care without adding extensive burden to the clients and clinical team. CE credit is available for individuals who attend the live webinar. Click here to learn more about CE credits offered through the IHIP webinar series.”
Job Opportunities
Senior Policy Advisor, Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STI – Queens, New York
The NYC Health Department’s Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (BHHS) Policy and External Affairs Program seeks a Senior Policy Advisor to lead its health systems policy efforts and support its HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis policy advocacy more broadly. The Senior Policy Advisor will report to the Director of Policy and External Affairs and oversee BHHS’s health systems policy efforts, including monitoring, researching, and responding to Medicaid, Medicare, 340B program, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, New York State of Health Marketplace, New York City HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA), patient assistance programs, and commercial health insurance activity relevant to New Yorkers affected by HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis.
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
Harm Reduction Restrictions and Budget Cuts Cause HIV to Spread in West Virginia
“About five years after an HIV outbreak linked to opioid use in rural West Virginia made national headlines, health departments in the state say they are working with scarce funding and resources to test for HIV and connect those living with the virus to lifesaving treatment, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports.”
Boom, Now Bust: Budget Cuts and Layoffs Take Hold in Public Health
“Even as federal aid poured into state budgets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, public health leaders warned of a boom-and-bust funding cycle on the horizon as the emergency ended and federal grants sunsetted. Now, that drought has become reality and state governments are slashing budgets that feed local health departments.”
Alarm grows over possible RFK Jr. role at HHS if Trump wins
“The possibility of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becoming Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary if former President Trump wins has rankled Democrats and the public health community as he gains influence within the former president’s transition team. Speculation about Kennedy’s future role has grown after Nicole Shanahan, who was Kennedy’s running mate before he suspended his campaign last month, said recently that he would do “an incredible job” at HHS should Trump win in November.”