December 1st is World Aids Day | | |
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On this World AIDS Day 2023, the California Prevention Training Center would like to remember and honor some of the many we personally mourn who we lost to HIV/AIDS.
We stand with the WAD 2023 theme: Remember and Commit
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A letter from our director, Dana Cropper, MPA, MHA:
Today marks the nation’s 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day (WAD). Many of us who remember the very first WAD were already working in the field or planning our career in public health. In those early days we never could have imagined the number of lives that would be lost or adversely affected by HIV/AIDS. Although we were determined to find a cure, we couldn’t quite envision the biomedical advances that would be made to reduce HIV transmission or prevent virus replication for those with HIV.
This year’s WAD theme is “Remember and Commit.” We remember those days when we regularly lost friends and coworkers. I dread saying that we almost got used to it, but we were never comfortable with it. Interestingly, it’s the same today: we may be used to friends living full and healthy lives with HIV, but we still should not be comfortable with it. I don’t want anyone else to get HIV, regardless of how well they will live. My mantra is “no new infections!”
As we reflect on this year’s theme, we should each commit to do our part to educate ourselves and others about the status of HIV infection in the United States. I recently heard a renowned HIV researcher discuss the goals of the CDC’s Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative. Notably, the U.S. may be well positioned to fulfill the goal of reducing new HIV infections by 90% by 2030 (www.cdc.gov, 2023), but only for white Americans. Unfortunately, that goal will most likely go unmet for people of color, especially Black Americans.
So, in remembrance of the past, we must commit to equitable care and services, increased education and messaging, along with the accessibility and uptake of PrEP, PEP, and treatment as prevention (TasP) for all communities.
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CAPTC regularly hosts trainings, many of which are internal to health departments, CBOs, and clinics. Here are upcoming events open for registration more broadly:
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Status Neutral Community of Practice: Series on the Status Neutral approach (SN) for health departments and community based organization in the west geographic region (WGR). The community of practice will identify benefits for using a SN approach in delivery of HIV-related healthcare services. To inquire about joining, email [email protected].
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Updates from CAPTC Programs | |
Now recruiting: Communications Internship
The purpose of this internship is to develop undergraduate students with an interest in public health. Projects relate to social media, website, video and podcast production, and online course development. Most activities are online with occasional in-person meetings. Recommended submission of materials by 1/7/24. Share with students and apply.
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Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) | |
Aunsha Hall-Everett, PhD, CAPTC's CBA manager, was selected to present at the 2nd Annual People's Public Health Conference earlier this month. His presentation was titled "Dual Identity of being Black and a Public Health Department Professional." | |
Report from the Intermountain West Harm Reduction Conference (IWHRC)
Sept. 28 & 29, 2023
IWHRC 2023 brought together community health workers, prevention specialists, and medical professionals to share knowledge and experience regarding holistic harm reduction strategies. The IWHRC focused on building and strengthening a network of harm reductionists in the Intermountain West region to improve communication, visibility, and innovation around harm reduction. The two-day IWHRC was a hybrid event with approximately 204 participants: 126 joined in-person and 78 joined remotely. Participants came from 16 states and identified multiple roles and areas of expertise including coordinators, clinicians, health educators, outreach workers, peer support, and more.
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New Study on Treatment Intervals for Pregnant People with Syphilis
A newly published study led by STI Training Program clinical director, Kelly Johnson, MD, showed the efficacy of more flexible treatment intervals for pregnant people with syphilis of late/unknown duration in pregnancy. Based on California STI surveillance data, the study found evidence that administering bicillin to birthing parents with syphilis every 6-8 days rather than at strict 7-day intervals did not result in differences in congenital syphilis (CS) incidence in babies. This provides evidence that 6-8 day intervals may be acceptable for preventing CS, which could give patients, providers, and public health STI programs a little more flexibility in defining "adequate treatment" for pregnant patients with syphilis and may help reduce the need for invasive diagnostic testing among infants born to people treated at 6-8 day intervals.
This was published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases and highlighted by the American Academy of HIV Medicine:
Mpox
CAPTC clinicians have been involved in a number of peer-reviewed publications on mpox, with topics including clinical management, vaccine efficacy, and impact on sexual health services among others.
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Scaling Up HIV & Mpox Prevention Services in STD Specialty Clinics
Clinics who need support with the implementation of mpox services (including vaccination), HIV PrEP, HIV PEP, and/or Doxy-PEP, are invited to contact Tamara Ooms at [email protected]. The CDC A1 and mpox grants, which provide technical assistance and training to STI clinics, were each extended one more year.
This CAPTC project is a high-quality clinical training and technical assistance program that supports STD specialty clinics to build capacity in biomedical HIV preventive services, such as PrEP, in the Western United States. We recently collaborated with CDPH to conduct a survey of STI clinics in CA to assess the clinics' need for training and TA to improve STI and HIV prevention services, particularly around mpox, HIV PrEP and PEP, and Doxy-PEP. The results will inform future offerings.
Take a look at our PrEP Learning Collaborative Hub, to learn about upcoming trainings and resources.
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The Family PACT Program recently hosted its most popular webinar yet, “Minor Consent and Confidentiality for Sexual Health Services in California” with speaker Rebecca Gudeman, Senior Director, Health at the National Center for Youth Law. We had 1,026 attendees participate in the webinar live. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and many commented that they would like to receive more trainings/webinars on similar topics. | | |
The Disease Intervention Training Center delivering 11 of our virtual courses, including our Interviewing Series courses, to new disease intervention staff. | |
The STI Clinical Training Program returned to Hawaii to offer for an all-day STI Clinical Update training for the first time since COVID. | |
CDPH Updates for Providers | |
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Dear Colleague Letter: Special Considerations for the Treatment of Syphilis using Alternative Therapies in Non-pregnant Persons
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To Healthcare Providers: Increase in Mpox Cases in California: Updates on Identification, Laboratory Testing, Management and Treatment, and Vaccination for Mpox Health Advisory
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S4 E7 Dan Savage on the Magic Question, "What are you into?" & Ina Park on How Providers can Help
Dan Savage and Dr. Ina Park come together in this episode to discuss desire, pleasure, and how to communicate about what feels good with partners and providers.
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S4 E5 Lesser Known Forms of Birth Control and Downplayed Side-effects: Providing Empowering Contraceptive Care
Family doctor Jennifer Karlin, MD, PhD, and health educator Mariana Horne talk through forms of birth control that are not as well-known, including effects that are not always named.
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S4 E6 Family Planning as Gender Affirming Care with Trans and Nonbinary Patient
Director of Gender-Affirming Care for UC Davis Health, Miles Harris, FNP-BC, advocates for the integration of gender-affirming care with primary care and family planning.
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