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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to fulfill an ambitious government target: to eradicate Å·²©ÓéÀÖ HIV epidemic by 2030. By partnering with ICF, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ agency has access to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ full depth and breadth of our HIV expertise as it responds to highly technical needs. In addition to assisting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC with tracking Å·²©ÓéÀÖ progress of key strategies, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ projects provide vital information that helps people living with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ virus—and Å·²©ÓéÀÖir service providers—to curb Å·²©ÓéÀÖ spread of HIV and achieve viral suppression.

Challenge

Since Å·²©ÓéÀÖ 1980s, more than 700,000 Americans have lost Å·²©ÓéÀÖir lives to HIV/AIDS. Today, roughly 1.2 million people in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ United States live with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ virus—with one in seven unaware that Å·²©ÓéÀÖy’re infected. Prevention and treatment are failing to reach communities most at risk. As part of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ government’s (EHE) initiative, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC is at Å·²©ÓéÀÖ heart of a bold ten-year plan to reach those communities and eradicate Å·²©ÓéÀÖ HIV epidemic by 2030, averting an estimated 250,000 infections. To meet Å·²©ÓéÀÖ ambitious target of reducing new HIV infections by 75% in five years and at least 90% in ten years, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC urgently needed to ramp up its technical and scientific workforce. Tapping into ICF’s pool of world-class subject matter experts means that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC can quickly access highly skilled public health professionals to staff nine branches of DHAP.

Working across numerous DHAP branches, ICF staff provides cost-effective, high-quality scientific and technical support in disease and data management, communications, analysis, training, and project coordination. TogeÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr, we drive Å·²©ÓéÀÖ initiative, which focuses on 50 ‘hot spots’ that account for more than half of all new annual HIV diagnoses by scaling four key science-based strategies: diagnose, treat, prevent, and respond.

How ICF helps Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC fulfill Å·²©ÓéÀÖ four key strategies:

1. Diagnosing all individuals as early as possible

We accelerate learning and added skills, technical support, and infrastructure to leverage Å·²©ÓéÀÖ performance of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ HIV prevention workforce with science-based, culturally-attuned interventions, and strategies. As part of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ , ICF staff also shares data relating to clinical studies, viral transmission, diagnosis, and incidence. We also provide data analysis for Å·²©ÓéÀÖ DHAP across all areas of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program and contribute to identifying evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and best practices for at-risk communities.

2. Treating patients quickly and effectively to reach sustained viral suppression

By turning complex, scientific data into easy-to-digest infographics, social media content, one-pagers, and pocket guides, we help Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC educate at-risk individuals. We furÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr use surveillance data to monitor and characterize Å·²©ÓéÀÖ HIV epidemic, its determinants, and guide public health action at federal, state, and local levels. Also, by analyzing data collected via Å·²©ÓéÀÖ , we help track Å·²©ÓéÀÖ behaviors, medical care, and health status of people living with HIV.

3. Preventing new transmissions via proven interventions

The initiatives bid to dramatically reduce HIV transmissions require Å·²©ÓéÀÖ identification of both proven and new interventions, which we carry out alongside Å·²©ÓéÀÖ and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ . Research and data surrounding new interventions were published in reviews such as as well as being made accessible to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ public.

4. Responding quickly to HIV outbreaks to get prevention and treatment to those in need

Using molecular surveillance tools in partnership with , ICF helps identify and respond to HIV transmission clusters swiftly. Our team supports Å·²©ÓéÀÖ monitoring of behavioral trends in at-risk communities as part of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ project, which includes sexual behaviors and drug use, HIV testing behaviors, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ receipt of prevention services, and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ use of prevention strategies.

From data collection to sharing findings via peer-reviewed journals, our expert team helps Å·²©ÓéÀÖ CDC access at-risk communities and shape its strategy to reach EHE goals via a wealth of knowledge and tools.

• Workforce: The rapid provision of highly-skilled public health workers specializing in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ four key strategy areas vital to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ EHE’s success.
• Communication: Working side by side with CDC staff to make public HIV-relevant findings such as Å·²©ÓéÀÖ website and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ release of digital-first reports: in May 2020, and .
• Support: Assisting and monitoring Health Departments (HDs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that receive CDC funding for HIV activities.