From 2015-2018, DSTDP supported five Health Department STD Programs to participate in the enhanced evaluation of projects that involved the use of STD program Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) or field services work to help improve HIV outcomes, such as HIV testing, PrEP use, and linkage to care. Recipients evaluated a wide range of intervention approaches and strategies:
- Washington State evaluated the integration of HIV outcomes into STD partner services (PS) activities for men who have sex with men (MSM) to promote HIV testing of index cases and partners, increase HIV/STI testing frequency, conduct PrEP referral and engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral therapy, and prioritize sub-populations of MSM for STD PS.
- Mississippi evaluated their efforts to implement three new STD partner services activities in Jackson, MS focused on improving outcomes for HIV testing and conducting PrEP referral and linkage to care.
- California evaluated local implementation of new DIS protocols/guidelines for HIV testing and linkage to care/re-engagement with care, adaptation of data fields in the statewide data system, and costs of integrating HIV linkage to care and re-engagement with care activities into STD partner services.
- New York City evaluated their efforts to start HIV field testing in STD program partner services, outcomes of an internal referral system for HIV cases not linked to care within 30 days of diagnosis, as well as new staffing models in the health department’s sexual health clinics.
- Wisconsin continues to assess STD-HIV field service capacity in high morbidity counties outside Milwaukee and evaluate their transition to a new, integrated STD-HIV data system. Products from this project are forthcoming.
Washington State
Washington evaluated the integration of HIV outcomes into STD partner services (PS) activities for men who have sex with men (MSM) to promote HIV testing of index cases and partners, increase HIV/STI testing frequency, conduct PrEP referral and engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral therapy, and prioritize sub-populations of MSM for STD PS..
Mississippi
Mississippi evaluated their efforts to implement three new STD partner services activities in Jackson, MS focused on improving outcomes for HIV testing and conducting PrEP referral and re-linkage to care.
California
California evaluated local implementation of new DIS protocols/guidelines for HIV testing and linkage to care/re-engagement with care, adaptation of data fields in the statewide data system, and costs of integrating HIV linkage to care and re-engagement with care activities into STD partner services.
New York City
New York City evaluated their efforts to start HIV field testing in STD program partner services, an internal referral system for HIV cases not linked to care, as well as new staffing models in the health department’s sexual health clinics
Wisconsin
Wisconsin assessed STD-HIV field service capacity in high morbidity counties outside Milwaukee and evaluated their transition to a new, integrated STD-HIV data system