Pennsylvania's High- Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance Program - Objectives: The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) proposes to systematically test individuals; collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate HIV data to characterize trends in HIV infection; detect active HIV transmission, implement High Impact Prevention activities (HIP), evaluate public health response, and transmit data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as required. Background, Rationale, Significance: From the inception of the HIV epidemic, Pennsylvania (PA) has been very committed to improving the health of those living with HIV and mitigating the impact of HIV on its residents through proactive HIV surveillance and prevention strategies. Since reporting of HIV began, a total of 64,600 cases (including AIDS) were reported in PA. An estimated 41,364 people are currently living with HIV in PA as of 2022. In PA, reportable disease information is received through the PA National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (PA-NEDSS) in addition to the Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting system (eHARS) and Evaluation Web. PA remains committed to leveraging available resources and opportunities to reducing HIV burden on residents. PADOH proposes to implement an integrated HIV surveillance and prevention program serving sixty-six of the sixty-seven counties of the Commonwealth, excluding Philadelphia County. Summary of Proposed Activities: PADOH will leverage on its existing infrastructure for the implementation of integrated high-impact HIV prevention and surveillance strategies and activities in PA over the next five years. Our purpose will be to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to testing and care, improve health outcomes to reduce HIV-related health disparities, integrate sexually transmitted disease (STD), viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB) testing and surveillance data, and collaborate with other programs such as mental health, drug and alcohol and aging to produce a syndemic, whole-person approach to HIV prevention. PADOH will continue to increase availability of routine, opt-out HIV testing in clinical settings and testing in non-clinical settings for priority populations. The integration of STD, viral hepatitis, and TB screening, as well as PrEP and PEP laboratory support, will aide in providing comprehensive services, particularly to the uninsured. PADOH will continue to provide Partner Services (PS) and use data to monitor and improve PS activities. PADOH will continue HIV planning and monitoring the Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan to ensure program activities reflect stakeholder impact. Further, PADOH will implement status neutral linkage and navigation programs to ensure those living with HIV and those most vulnerable for acquiring HIV are afforded adequate access to prevention services. Social marketing and media efforts will also take a syndemic, whole-person approach to promote overall sexual health and wellbeing in a stigma-free environment. PADOH will identify and contact all facilities and laboratories conducting HIV-related activities in the state to ensure they are reporting cases in accordance with state regulation. The program will monitor and evaluate case reporting and maintain ongoing communication with sites to improve compliance and completeness. PADOH will also establish active and passive reporting systems with laboratories, pediatric clinics, and HIV clinics to receive testing results on HIV-exposed infants. In addition, HIV data will be geocoded at the census tract level and linked to social determinants of health. PADOH will continue to implement the HIV Cluster and Outbreak Response Plan, continuously monitor CDR activities for areas of improvement and successes, and report outcomes to CDC as required. Translation of Findings into Public Health Action: Findings from surveillance activities will be used to guide future HIV prevention and control efforts in the commonwealth and made available for public use.
