Office of Viral Hepatitis Coordination NYC Viral Hepatitis E-Resource

Office of Viral Hepatitis Coordination
NYC Viral Hepatitis E-Resource

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January 2010

Happy New Year! The 5 New Years Resolutions suggested by the NYC Department of Health all relate to Viral Hepatitis…. Do you know how?

Contents

Upcoming Events

Funding

Jobs

News

New Resources & Online Education

Hepatitis B & C Coalitions, Task Forces & Patient Groups


Upcoming Events

* Webinar: Leveraging the IOM Report on Viral Hepatitis. January 12th (3-4 PM).
* Viral Hepatitis Advocacy Strategy Meeting & Hepatitis C Advocacy 101 Training. January 13th (2:30 - 5 PM). NYC DOHMH, 125 Worth Street, NY 10013 – 3rd Floor Conference Room.

- Purpose: To bring people interested in viral hepatitis advocacy from all over the city together to meet, coordinate efforts, provide available information, resources and instruction, plan May Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month, and share new advocacy ideas.

- Registration is required, contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov.

* Hepatitis B Coalition Meeting. January 14th (3-5). NYU Langone Medical Center ~ Schwartz Lecture Hall E. 401 E. 30th Street , NY 10010.

- Presentations on: Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009, with Corinna Dan, Hepatitis B Policy Fellow, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations; Institute of Medicine Report: Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis Infections in the United States; & World Hepatitis Day Planning. RSVP: greta.elysee@nyumc.org.

* Motivational Interviewing Series. Coalition for Behavioral Health Agencies, Inc. 5 Sessions beginning January 13th (9-12).

* Basics of Community Organizing Workshop. Neighborhood Leadership Institute, Citizens Committee for NYC. Saturday, January 23rd (11 AM – 2PM). 305 Seventh Avenue , 15th Floor (between 27 and 28 Streets) Manhattan . RSVP: ncole@citizensnyc.org or (212) 822-9564.

* Cyber Seminar - Making Data Talk: Communicating Public Health Data to the Public, Policy Makers, and the Press. January 26th (2-3 PM). National Cancer Institute.
* Stuck in the System: Expanding Syringe Access by Reconciling the Penal Code with the Public Health Law. VOCAL’s Syringe Access Report Release. January 29th (10AM-12). 250 Broadway, 16th Floor Lunchroom. RSVP: (917) 676-8041 or jeremy@nycahn.org
* South Eastern Viral Hepatitis Summit. February 5th (8AM -5PM). Durham , North Carolina . Hepatitis Foundation International.
* HIV/Hepatitis Outreach Prevention & Empowerment (H.O.P.E.) Peer Leadership Training Program. Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays: February 9th – March 5th (10-4). Open to adults living with or affected by HIV or HCV who have completed a Peer Education HIV Core Training (such as ASC PREP or Exponents/Arrive). For more info: (212) 645-0875 roland@ascnyc.org.
* 1st Annual Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange Worker Conference. Planned for early March, 2010. Purpose: Networking, sharing best practices, improving work conditions and reducing risk, education, empowerment and mobilization. For more information: ellendon@harmreduction.org.
* Navigating Medicaid & Medicare: Hepatitis B & C Special Issues Training. 2 Part Training: 1st Day February 25tth and 2nd day TBD (early March). 26 Federal Plaza, Manhattan , 10278. HCV & HBV Coalition Project in partnership with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This training will provide information and support to help providers and benefits specialists overcome the obstacles involved in helping HBV & HCV patients within the Medicaid, Medicare, and Managed Care Systems, as well as identify resources the uninsured. To register: Frank.Winter@cms.hhs.gov.
* New York State DOH 2010 Hepatitis C Conference. March 16th (8AM – 4PM). City University of New York Graduate Center , 365 Fifth Avenue , Manhattan . Register now! Scholarships are available.
* World Hepatitis Day! May 19th 2010
* 6th International HIV and Hepatitis Co-infection Workshop. May 31st – June 2nd. Tel Aviv , Israel . Virology Education.
* 5th International Workshop on Hepatitis C, Resistance and New Compounds. June 24-25th, 2010. Boston .

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Funding

* Long Acting, Sustainable Therapies for Opiate Addiction (R01). NIH & NIDA.
* Support Opportunity for Addiction Research (SOAR) for New Investigators (R03). NIH & NIDA. Letters of Intent Receipt Date: March 16, 2010.
* Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation
* Projects to Deliver Peer-to-Peer Recovery Support Services (Short Title: Recovery Community Services Program [RCSP]). Due: 2/10/2010.
* Frank E. Payne and Seba B. Payne Foundation: General Fund Announcement. The Payne Foundation provides support for education, hospitals, and cultural programs (HIV Coinfection). No deadline.
* Hoffmann-La Roche Funding Opportunities. No deadline.
* NYS Recovery Funding Handbook

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Viral Hepatitis Related Jobs

* www.idealist.org ~ Search for: New York Key word: Hepatitis. Will send daily emails with open jobs.
* Helpline Coordinator. American Liver Foundation. National Office New York .

* Program Officer - INTERNATIONAL HARM REDUCTION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (IHRD). Open Society Institute.

* HIV Counselor / Health Educator. In NYC Jails. The Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc.
* Community Health Outreach Worker. St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction.

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News

* New Release! New York State Department of Health Viral Hepatitis Strategic Plan (2010 – 2015)
* Take Action! Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009
* Recognition! US Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) disclosed he is living with hepatitis C and wants to promote awareness about the disease.
* Victory! Ban FINALLY LIFTED on Federal Funding for Needle and Syringe Exchange!

- NVHR Applauds Congressional Action to End Federal Ban on Funding Syringe Exchange. "Syringe exchange is a crucial tool in a comprehensive arsenal of counseling and medical referral programs designed to reduce drug use and infection. NVHR wishes to thank Representative Jose Serrano, Chairman David Obey, and thousands of activists for their tireless efforts in helping to address this critical public health issue." An estimated 5.4 million Americans are infected with chronic viral hepatitis B and C and the majority are unaware they are infected. Injection drug use with shared syringes or equipment is the leading cause of hepatitis C, and 70 percent of people who inject drugs are infected. If left untreated, hepatitis B and C can cause serious liver disease, including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. Needle exchange programs are an essential strategy to prevent the spread of hepatitis B and C infection, and provide vital counseling, testing, education, hepatitis A and B vaccine, and referral to medical care. According to the respected research firm Milliman, the cost of chronic hepatitis C virus infection alone could reach $85 billion annually by 2024, with Medicare and Medicaid absorbing a disproportionate share of those costs.

* Hepatitis C Rapid Test: OraSure Gets European Union Approval
* Is Money Tainting the Plasma Supply? Plasma collection centers in the U.S. pay donors, some of them Mexican, leading to questions about an industry dependent on the blood of people hard up for cash.
* In Surgery, a Tangled Tumor Meets Its Match. New York Times. At New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia, surgeons spent 43 hours performing an ex vivo procedure on a man whose liver was engulfed by a cancerous tumor.
* A 'Gift of Life' With Money Attached. New York Times. Financial incentives may be needed to help secure enough organ donations, as altruism alone is not working.
* Nevada Hepatitis C Outbreak Update. CDC. After a two-year investigation, state health officials say a hepatitis C virus outbreak tied to two local endoscopy centers was most likely caused by unsterile injection practices. Through interviews and observations, investigators identified unsafe injection practices at the clinics, including reusing syringes on a single patient and reusing vials of anesthetic between patients. Nine of the cases were genetically linked to the centers, and ECSN patients undergoing procedures on one day - Sept. 21, 2007 - were 31 million times more likely to develop an acute HCV infection. Another 106 HCV cases were potentially linked to the clinics, according to the 266-page report, though alternative sources of infection might have been to blame. The district investigation of the outbreak cost $828,369. The $13.8 million spent on testing, plus future medical treatment, could push the cost of the nation's largest health care-related HCV outbreak to between $16 million and $21 million, according to the report.
* Researchers Develop New Hepatitis C Treatment. The medication is designed to block the liver-expressed microRNA-122 molecule necessary for HCV to replicate.
* Addiction on 2 Fronts: Work and Home A. Thomas McLellan, the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, has had personal experience with addiction.

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New Resources & Online Education

* 2006 – 2007 New York City Hepatitis A, B & C Surveillance Report.
* Clinical Care Options – Online Education (CME)

- Update in the Diagnosis and Management of Decompensated Cirrhosis.

- Management of an HCV-Infected Compensated Cirrhotic Patient With Moderate Alcohol Use.

- HCC Risk Remains High Following at Least 12 Months of Antiviral Therapy in Cirrhotic Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B.

- Rifaximin Provides Durable Reduction in Risk of Breakthrough Hepatic Encephalopathy in Patients With Cirrhosis.

- Lactulose Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Hepatic Encephalopathy Recurrence.

- Tenofovir Highly Effective for the Treatment of Chronic HBV Infection in Both Cirrhotic and Noncirrhotic Patients.

- Free CME/CE-Certified Monograph* This monograph includes Capsule Summaries and expert commentaries on the most clinically relevant journal articles in hepatitis and advanced liver disease.

- HCV Treatment Candidacy in an HCV/HIV-Coinfected Patient Receiving HIV Therapy

* Journal of Proteome Research: Toward Explaining Why Hepatitis B Hits Men Harder Than Women
* Strategies to avoid opiate withdrawal: Implications for HCV and HIV risks. NDRI.
* Caffeine Linked to Reduced Liver Fibrosis (CME/CE). Caffeine may help reduce hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease, a cross-sectional study showed. Those who consumed more than 308 mg of caffeine a day -- equal to about 2.25 cups of coffee -- were 75% less likely to have advanced…
* Liver Stiffness Clue to HCV Recurrence after Liver Transplant (CME/CE). Noninvasive liver stiffness measurements can accurately tell which liver transplant patients are having a recurrence of hepatitis C before classical signs are apparent, researchers said.
* Weight Loss: A Modifiable Lifestyle Parameter That Can Alter HCV Liver Disease Progression

- 3.2 MILLION NEW YORKERS ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE. NYC Health Department Press Release.

- Health Bulletin #51: How to Lose Weight PDF Document (Reader Required; Click to Download) [Español] [中文]

- Shape Up New York"™ is a FREE family fitness program offered at parks sites, community centers and housing sites around New York City. Fitness classes are open to adults and children.

* Be Smart with Body Art: New Website!
* Health Department Launches a Web Portal to Track the City’s Environmental Health Conditions. Environmental Toxins affect the liver.

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Hepatitis B & C Coalitions, Task Forces & Patient Groups

The NYC Viral Hepatitis B & C Coalitions, Task Forces & Patient Groups provide an opportunity to get involved locally to create positive change with people who care about viral hepatitis as much as you do.



Hepatitis B Coalition Meetings

* January 14th (3-5:30). NYU Langone Medical Center ~ Schwartz Lecture Hall E. 401 E. 30th Street , NY 10010. RSVP: greta.elysee@nyumc.org. Presentations on:

- Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009, with Corinna Dan, Hepatitis B Policy Fellow, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

- Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report: Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis Infections in the United States

- World Hepatitis Day Planning

* Save the Date! The next HBV Coalition meeting will be March 11th (3-5:30 PM).
* See the NYC Hepatitis B Coalition Website



Hepatitis C Task Force Meetings & Projects

* HCV Task Forces meet regularly in the Bronx, Harlem , Brooklyn & Queens.
* 2010 General Meeting Schedule Pending ~ sign up for invitations to meetings: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
* Current Hepatitis C Task Force Projects

- Viral Hepatitis Advocacy Strategy Meeting & Hepatitis C Advocacy 101 Training. January 13th (2:30 - 5 PM). NYC DOHMH, 125 Worth Street, NY 10013 – 3rd Floor Conference Room. Purpose: To bring people interested in viral hepatitis advocacy from all over the city together to meet, coordinate efforts, provide available information, resources and instruction, plan May Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month, and share new advocacy ideas. Registration is required, contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov.

- “Assessing & Ensuring Psychosocial Readiness for HCV Treatment” Tool. Newly Discovered Resource: The Structured Interview for the Treatment of the Hepatitis C Virus (SIT-HCV). Subcommittee is adapting and streamlining the above tool for use in NYC. To inquire about project contact: Jeffrey.Weiss@mountsinai.org

- Navigating Medicaid & Medicare: Hepatitis B & C Special Issues Training. 2 Part Training: 1st Day February 25tth and 2nd day TBD (early March). 26 Federal Plaza, Manhattan , 10278. HCV & HBV Coalition Project in partnership with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This training will provide information and support to help providers and benefits specialists overcome the obstacles involved in helping HBV & HCV patients within the Medicaid, Medicare, and Managed Care Systems as well as identify resources the uninsured. To register: Frank.Winter@cms.hhs.gov.

- Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange (PDSE) Citywide Conference. PDSEs are planning 1st Annual Conference, for end of February 2010. Conference will provide opportunity for workers involved in Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange throughout the city to meet each other, network, share best practices, review policies and guidelines, share concerns to improve working conditions, and be recognized for the critical work they do to reach the people at highest risk for Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases. To join this conference or learn more contact ellendon@harmreduction.org.

- Faith Based Outreach Initiative. Partnering with New York City Faith in Action for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Education Coalition. Contact faithinactionnyc@aol.com to join.

- Public Biohazard Disposal Kiosk Expansion Project. Organizations can request a Biohazard disposal kiosk from NYS DOH at no cost. Organization is responsible for maintaining the kiosk. To apply for a kiosk for your organization contact: Wesley Badillo, web03@health.state.ny.us.

- HCV Health Education Skits. Group developed plot about a grandmother who applies for life insurance, but is denied due to her HCV status. She speculates about her risk factors. To join this group contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov.

- HCV & Nutrition Awareness Initiative. Planning presentation series on effect of nutrition, diet, exercise, weight and fatty liver on the hepatitis C disease process.

× Weight Loss: A Modifiable Lifestyle Parameter That Can Alter HCV Liver Disease Progression

× 3.2 MILLION NEW YORKERS ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE. NYC Health Department Press Release.

× Health Bulletin #51: How to Lose Weight PDF Document (Reader Required; Click to Download) [Español] [中文]

× Shape Up New York"™ is a FREE family fitness program offered at parks sites, community centers and housing sites around New York City. Fitness classes are open to adults and children.



Patient Education & Support Groups ~ Hepatitis B & C

* See Online Listing ~ Groups listed throughout five boroughs, as well as computer and telephone groups.