Wednesday, March 12, 2025
3/12/2025
The District of Columbia continues to experience a high burden of morbidity and mortality associated with tuberculosis (TB). The DC TB incidence of 4.0 per 100,000 greatly exceeds the national average. This burden in DC disproportionately affects vulnerable communities including those experiencing social risk factors, individuals born outside the United States, and persons living with HIV. The purpose of this project is to execute activities that will contribute to the prevention, control, and eventual elimination of TB in the District. Over the five-year project period, the District of Columbia proposes to work towards the achievement of the following outcomes, among others: ―Reduce TB incidence to 1.3 cases per 100,000 persons ―Reduce TB in US-born persons to 0.4 per 100,000 ―Reduce TB in non-US-born persons to 8.8 per 100,000 ―Increase HIV results reported, genotype results reported, treatment initiation with the recommended initial therapy within 7 days of specimen collection, sputum culture result reporting and conversion, and completion of treatment within 12 months ―Decrease laboratory turnaround times for cultures and nucleic acid amplification tests ―Increase elicitation, evaluation, treatment initiation, and treatment completion of contacts to infectious TB cases ―Increase examination initiation, examination completion, treatment initiation, and treatment completion for immigrants and refugees ―Increase reporting accuracy and completeness for the Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT), Aggregate Reports of Tuberculosis Program Evaluation (ARPE), and the Electronic Disease Notification (EDN) system. The purpose of this application is to reduce TB-related morbidity and mortality in DC by preventing TB transmission, improving treatment, and preventing progression from LTBI to active TB disease. This will be executed through identification and treatment of TB cases; evaluation and treatment of close contacts of active TB cases; screening and medical evaluation of individuals who are at high risk of TB infection and subsequent TB disease; ensuring the availability of high‐quality and prompt laboratory services; consultations, trainings, educational activities, and technical assistance to health care providers, correctional facilities, drug treatment providers, and others serving high-risk populations; interpretation and dissemination of national TB guidelines for screening and infection control for stakeholders and community-based organizations; collection and analysis of data for use by program management, local public health officials, and private providers; and conducting program evaluation initiatives to ensure program outcome progression and improvement. By using these methods, the DC Department of Health will assure that TB is properly identified, reported, and treated, and that future cases are prevented. DC will also have a focus on health equity to those groups disproportionately impacted. The Division will conduct on-going program evaluation for the purpose of program improvement. Methods of program evaluation include biweekly, monthly, quarterly review of programmatic progress toward meeting program objectives, as well as annual program evaluation projects. CDC-RFA-PS-25-2003 Project Abstract Page | 2 Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based objectives have been developed to monitor programmatic progress and effectiveness. These objectives are consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and best practices related to TB prevention and control and the CDC’s National TB Program Objectives and Performance Targets for 2025.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).