Project Abstract Summary
Project Title: CDC High-Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance Programs for Health Departments
Applicant Name: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Division of HIV and STD Programs (DHSP)
Funding Opportunity: CDC-RFA-PS24-0047
Address: 600 S. Commonwealth Ave., 10th FL, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Project Director: Mario J. Pérez
Authorizing Official: Michael Green, PhD, Office of Planning, Development and Research, DHSP
TEL: (213) 351-8002 / EMAIL: mgreen@ph.lacounty.gov
Principal Investigator: Ekow Kwa Sey, PhD, Chief of Surveillance, DHSP
Funds Requested (Year 1): $16,909,787
Although more people in Los Angeles County (LAC) have access to health insurance than ever before, the complexities of navigating the system have also increased. The challenge of providing HIV prevention and care services throughout LAC is compounded by the sheer size and diversity of the epidemic. To decrease transmission of HIV infection, the County of Los Angeles Division of HIV and STD Programs (DHSP) will support the 6 required strategies outlined in the CDC PS24-0047 High-Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance Programs for Health Departments funding opportunity.
DHSP is charged with developing and managing public health surveillance and programmatic response to STDs and HIV in Los Angeles County. At the end of 2021, DHSP reported a total of 59,300 persons (adult and pediatric cases) living with diagnosed HIV in LAC; of those, 6,800 were unaware of their infection. During the same time period, there were approximately 1,400 incident cases of HIV, and 79% of newly diagnosed cases were among men who have sex with men (MSM).
LAC’s goal is to develop and implement high-impact prevention (HIP) with a focus on integrated STD and HIV screening and testing; provision of PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP; cluster detection and rapid response; rapid linkage to care; risk reduction programs; and social marketing initiatives with a comprehensive whole-person approach. DHSP will also strive to address health equity and promote community engagement. STD and HIV surveillance and local testing data will be used to identify priority populations and geographic areas of need and to tailor prevention approaches.
LAC’s overarching goals are to achieve the following by 2029: 1) Reduce new infections to 380 or less annually; 2) Ensure at least 95% of persons with HIV are diagnosed and aware of their status; 3) Ensure at least 95% of diagnosed persons with HIV are linked to care; 4) Ensure at least 95% of diagnosed persons with HIV are virally suppressed, and 5) Ensure at least 50% of persons in priority populations are prescribed PrEP.