Hepatitis C Testing: Important Updates from the CDC
May 2013. In recognition of Hepatitis Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a Vital Signs report on hepatitis C testing. The findings underscore the important impact of hepatitis C among baby boomers (people born from 1945 through 1965). Baby boomers accounted for 67 percent of all reported hepatitis C cases and 72 percent of all reported deaths among people with hepatitis C. The report, which summarized data from eight enhanced hepatitis C surveillance sites across the country, also shows that only half (51 percent) of those reported with hepatitis C received follow-up testing. Without follow-up testing, people do not know if they are still infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
CDC also published Testing for HCV Infection: An Update of Guidance for Clinicians and Laboratorians. CDC issued this updated guidance because of changes in the availability of certain commercial HCV antibody tests; evidence that many people might not get the needed follow-up testing; and significant hepatitis C treatment advances. The guidance will help ensure people receive the testing needed to identify those with current HCV infection. Click here to read a letter from John W. Ward, MD, CDC’s Director of the Division of Viral Hepatitis.
A to Z Developing Telebehavioral Health Capacity to Serve the Needs of Your Patients - No Cost Training and Technical Assistance Series, May 22 to August 28, 2013
May 2013. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Health Resources and Services Administration (SAMHSA-HRSA) Center for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) is sponsoring a Free Telebehavioral Health Training and Technical Assistance Series to HRSA-funded safety net providers and rural health clinics. This series is designed to help you increase access to behavioral health services through telemedicine and will be offered via interactive educational sessions with telebehavioral health subject matter experts followed by focused Q+A sessions. Experts in the field will be available to assist you in your implementation. The T/TA Series is targeted to organizations that have determined that telebehavioral health services are part of their future and want to move forward. The training uses the Triple Aim and Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Practice Transformation as a framework. For more information and to register visit http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/operations-administration/cihs-telebehavioral-health. Please contact Mike Lardiere at MikeL@thenationalcouncil.org if you have any questions.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Issues Final Recommendations on Routine HIV Screening
April 2013. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) has issued a final recommendation statement on Screening for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This final recommendation statement applies to all people aged 15 to 65, including pregnant women: (1) Everyone aged 15 to 65 should be screened for HIV infection. Teens younger than age 15 and adults older than 65 also should be screened if they are at increased risk for HIV infection. (2) All pregnant women, including women in labor who do not know their HIV status, should be screened for HIV infection. There is strong evidence that the test has large potential benefits and small potential harms. Click here for a fact sheet that explains the Task Force’s recommendations.
Featured Article: Primary Care: A Crucial Setting for Suicide Prevention
March 2013. Primary care providers have enormous potential to prevent suicides. Up to 45% of individuals who die by suicide have visited their primary care physician within a month of their death; additional research suggests that up to 67% of those who attempt suicide receive medical attention as a result of their attempt. Given these statistics, primary care has enormous potential to prevent suicides and connect people to needed specialty care — especially when they collaborate or formally partner with behavioral healthcare providers. Find out from Jerry Reed, Director of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, how these providers can connect people to needed specialty care - and save lives.
Free Webinars Focused on Veterans' Behavioral Health: 2013 Webinar Series
February 2013. The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) hosts free monthly webinars to provide information and facilitate discussion on a variety of topics related to Veterans' psychological health and traumatic brain injury. All Webinars are scheduled from 1:00 to 2:30 pm Eastern time on the day of the Webinar: January 24: Substance Abuse and Traumatic Brain Injury; February 28: Chronic Pain; March 28: Vestibular Disturbances after mTBI; April 25: Military Children and Coping with Grief/Loss; May 16: Mental Health and the National Guard/Reserves; June 27: Sleep; July 25: Violence Risk Assessment; August 22: TBI 101; September 26: Evidenced Based Treatment for Depression and Suicidal Behavior; October 24: Sexual Trauma, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault in the Military; November 21: Integration of Technology into Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. Continuing Education Credit is available. Archived Webinars can be accessed here.
OIG Releases Report on HIV Testing in HRSA-Funded Health Center Sites
January 2013. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a study to 1) determine the extent to which health center sites funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) adopted practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for routine testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); 2) determine the extent to which Federal recommendations for HIV testing influenced health center sites’ written HIV testing policies; and 3) describe factors that affected adoption of the practices and affected HIV testing in health center sites. The study found that 1) health center sites have not fully adopted all of the CDC’s recommended practices for routine HIV testing; 2) most sites had written HIV testing policies that were influenced by the CDC’s recommendations; and 3) factors that affected adoption of the practices included the financial resources of sites and patients, existence of partnerships with other community organizations, patient and staff perceptions about risk of contracting HIV, and patient discomfort associated with testing. The OIG recommends that HRSA require grantees to establish and report to HRSA two HIV testing metrics: prevalence and positivity, as follows: 1) grantees should establish and report the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV among their patient populations, and 2) grantees should report HIV positivity (the proportion of patients who test positive among all those tested). Click here to read the full report from the OIG, including HRSA’s response.
January 2013. The Fall/Winter issue of NACHC’s Community Health Forum magazine is devoted to the theme, Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care. Colleagues from the health center community have contributed content on timely and thoughtful topics, including models for integration, behavioral health screening and intervention in primary care, and partnering in the community; the intersection of behavioral health and culture; and the integration of behavioral health services in patient centered health homes. The magazine is available electronically here.
Fact Sheet on Hepatitis C and Health Centers Now Available
December 2012. Hepatitis C is more prevalent than HIV in patients who are seen at health centers. This fact sheet provides health centers with information about the growing Hepatitis C epidemic, particularly among individuals born between 1945 and 1965, and speaks to the importance of identifying patients with Hepatitis C and keeping them in care. The fact sheet includes a resource list of strategic documents and educational materials. Click here for a version of the fact sheet that can be shared electronically. Click here for a version of the fact sheet that can be printed.
December 2012. Want to make collaborative, grassroots change in your community to promote healthy weight? NICHQ has developed a Healthy Weight Collaborative Action Kit, which teaches how to use quality improvement principles to improve community obesity rates. The Kit includes videos and recordings from NICHQ’s Healthy Weight Collaborative, in which 50 multi-sector teams from around the country are using quality improvement methods to identify, test, and implement high-potential changes to improve obesity prevention and treatment in their communities.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Issues Draft Recommendations on Hepatitis C Screening
November 27, 2012. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released draft recommendations on Hepatitis C screening. The Task Force recommends screening for hepatitis C virus infection in adults at high risk, including those with any history of intravenous drug use and blood transfusions before 1992. The Task Force recommends that clinicians consider offering hepatitis C infection screening in adults born between 1945 and 1965. The draft recommendations will be available for a 30-day public comment period. Click here for a fact sheet that explains the Task Force’s draft recommendations and for instructions on how to submit comments through December 24, 2012. Click here for an informational graphic describing who the Task Force proposes be screened for hepatitis C.
CDC Releases new Testing Recommendations for Hepatitis C Virus
August 2012. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that persons born during 1945-1965 account for three fourths of all HCV infections in the country. MMWR: Recommendations for the Identification of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Persons Born During 1945–1965 presents the latest CDC recommendations, which include one-time testing without prior ascertainment of HCV risk for persons born during 1945-1965. These newest recommendations augment previous recommendations for HCV testing. The CDC has a variety of resources for both providers and patients in support of the new recommendations. They can be found here.
2012 AAHIVM Fundamentals of HIV Medicine
August 2012. The American Academy of HIV Medicine has announced the availability of its all new 2012 AAHIVM Fundamentals of HIV Medicine, the nation's most frequently utilized HIV patient care and reference textbook. With over 50 of the nation's leading HIV care providers, researchers and experts serving as authors, the 2012 AAHIVM Fundamentals of HIV Medicine provides a comprehensive review across all facets of the medical management of individuals with HIV. Of notable importance are the newly revised and updated chapters devoted to HIV and non-HIV related co-morbidities and complications and an expanded chapter focused on transmission prevention strategies. A cumulative maximum of 33.5 CME (docs) and ACPE (pharms) credits available. Click here for more information and purchasing details.
Announcing the Launch of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Jobs Center!
May 2012. The NHSC Jobs Center, which replaces the former Job Opportunities List (JOL), is now available. The Jobs Center is easier to search and navigate significantly improving the way job seekers learn about and communicate with NHSC-approved sites. The new Jobs Center also allows NHSC sites greater flexibility to share information about their site and community in their own words, with pictures and direct links. Features include: Opportunity for sites to showcase photos of their site and community images; Google based mapping, making it easy to find schools, places of worship and other community amenities; Details about each site such as languages spoken by patients, specialties offered, size of practice, and more; Social media integration; Expanded search options for job seekers by HPSA score, distance from an address, and more.
FREE NACHC Membership Available for Health Professional Students
This membership category is a FREE individual membership open exclusively to all enrolled health professional students who are committed to the mission and goals of NACHC: http://www.nachc.com/College%20Health%20Professional%20Membership.cfm.
