Wednesday, May 21, 2025
5/21/2025
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CTDPH) PS24-0047 High Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments - Project Abstract Summary The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CTDPH) is requesting funding to support a comprehensive HIV Prevention and Surveillance Program focused on the core strategies in accordance with the CDC‐RFA‐24‐0047: HIP for Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments. The HIV Prevention and Surveillance Programs are in the TB, HIV, STD, and Viral Hepatitis Program within the Infectious Disease Section. The Integrated Prevention and Surveillance Programs consist of 16 FTEs directly housed in the Program and an additional 38 FTEs under the STD/TB/Ryan White Part B segments of the overall Section. An additional 2 FTEs (Health Program Associate and Epidemiologist 1) will be filled under this FOA PS24-0047. The following activities will be conducted: Strategy 1: CTDPH proposes to focus efforts in communities where HIV is most heavily concentrated, increase HIV testing in clinical and non-clinical settings, expand efforts to prevent HIV and reduce HIV related disparities. Strategy 2: CTDPH will continue to ensure the linkage to care, Partner Services (PS), and Data to Care (D2C) activities are implemented in collaboration with partners in STD Control and Prevention Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS), Ryan White Care Program, and Healthcare and Non-clinical settings. Strategy 3: CTDPH will continue to implement PrEP/PEP services, oversee the Community Distribution Center which operates the statewide Condom Distribution, expand Harm Reduction Services, and disseminate cost-effective Social Marketing Messaging to focus populations and providers. Strategy 4: Quickly identify and respond to HIV Clusters and Outbreaks (CDR). CTDPH will follow up on cases of public health importance, potential acute and transmission clusters and collaborate with CDC as needed. Strategy 5: Public health surveillance will continue to monitor trends in HIV disease. Case information, such as demographics and source of infection, will be collected. The Program will conduct required elements including: Reporting of all HIV cases, reporting of data to CDC, death ascertainment, risk factor ascertainment, dissemination of findings, maintenance of security and confidentiality policies, inter‐ and intrastate de‐duplication, support complete and electronic laboratory reporting of all CD4 and HIV‐related findings, conduct perinatal surveillance activities, collect and submit geocoded data, collect antiretroviral use history, Surveillance data will continue to be used to support Data‐to‐Care activities (D2C). EHARS will be used to detect persons who are out of care. Additional databases from Ryan White Program (CADAP and e2Connecticut) and STD Program (CTEDSS) will cross-check the out-of-care list from eHARS . An integrated data warehouse (HANK) was developed to search and match HIV case events with the Department of Correction (DOC) database and create a follow up prioritized worklist, which results in rapid case referral to HIV‐DIS. Strategy 6: Engage with our partners through the work of Jurisdictional HIV Prevention Planning by supporting the CT HIV Planning Consortium (CHPC), CT’s Integrated Prevention & Care planning body. DPH will partner with CHPC to develop a jurisdictional plan according to the most recent Community Planning Guidance. Supporting community engagement through syndemic and policy work.
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).