 If you have any questions or feedback about the newsletter, please reach out to us at: MDHHS-SHOARS-Support@Michigan.gov.
 For National HIV Testing Day, June 27, Walgreens and Greater Than HIV, a public information initiative of KFF, along with hundreds of health departments and community organizations, are providing FREE HIV testing, counseling, and information in more than 420 Walgreens stores across 38 states, DC and Puerto Rico.
CDC encourages state and local health departments in participating jurisdictions to amplify this FREE testing and counseling opportunity, a model public-private partnership. Please review and share the resources below with your communications and program contacts.
2023 National HIV Community Partnership Resources for Health Departments
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Map of participating store locations offering FREE testing and information, testing partners, dates, and times.
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2023 Partner Digital Toolkit including videos, graphics and other resources in English and Spanish for:
- Social media posts
- E-newsletters
- Website pages
- Press releases or media advisories
- Talking points for media interviews
- Paid digital or radio broadcasts (please reach out to community@kff.org for banners/scripts)
This annual effort has delivered more than 76,000 free HV tests since 2011. Many more have been reached with informational resources about the latest in prevention and treatment, including PrEP and linkage to care through the National HIV Community Partnership.
For more information or questions about the NHCP, please visit the NHCP Greater Than HIV website or contact community@kff.org.
Together Take Me Home Project
Together Take Me Home (TTMH) has officially launched and is shipping tests nationwide. Together TakeMeHome provides free HIV self-tests by mail to residents of all 50 states and Puerto Rico who enroll through the program’s website. The HIV self-tests are FDA-approved OraQuick devices that use mouth swabs and take only 20-minutes to get a result. Within the first week, over 43,000 kits were ordered!
Visitors to the website can find information and resources on using the self-test, what to do based on the self-test result, and how to access other services related to HIV prevention and care, and overall sexual health. Trained staff will be available to provide referrals to HIV prevention and care services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Promotion of TTMH can be done through Together campaign materials to support partner outreach and promoting TTMH in your community. Follow @stopHIVtogether for HIV self-testing materials and resources. Michigan residents are also invited to order a self-test kit from an agency right here in Michigan by going to the CDC website https://gettested.cdc.gov/
 Due to a successful pride season last year, MHAC’s Pride Extravaganza will return for the second year. Pride Extravaganza is a community engagement activity aimed at increasing awareness of MHAC, MHAC membership, awareness of HIV/STI programs and engagement with the community.
Last year MHAC and BHSP participated in 12 prides across the state, collected 1700 surveys, distributed 10,000 condoms, and connect with a variety of local organizations and community members. You can view the statewide findings from last year on our website. Agencies will be receiving results focused on geographic locations in the coming weeks.
We will continue these activities at 9 prides during the summer and hope to see you there! You can find us at Muskegon Pride, Motor City Pride, Lansing Pride, Flint Pride, Blue Water Pride in Port Huron, Black Gay Pride in Detroit, Vermontville Youth Pride, Branch County Pride, and Up North Pride in Traverse City. Happy Pride Season.
The HIV Care Section would like to thank and congratulate the Trinity Health- McClees Ryan White B funded program staff members for their preparation and participation during the 2023 HRSA Michigan Comprehensive Ryan White B Site Visit. The McClees team successfully presented their outstanding programs and various projects while proving to work well under pressure and adapt to change with tenacity. The McClees team was a vital component in assisting MDHHS to demonstrate its impactful Ryan White B program to HRSA.
We appreciate the partnership between MDHHS and Trinity Health- McClees as it is a pleasure to work with their diverse team of experts who provide progressive, valuable feedback and ideas for us to improve and implement a successful Ryan White program. The partnership between MDHHS and McClees allows us to continue to provide exceptional care for people with HIV (PWH). The individual expertise and dedication to their consumers and the populations they serve by Erin Hobson, Tamra Ivy, Kolby Cole, Brian VanHouten, Vicki Ferrier, Boris Galic, Aimee Tanis Ward, Kiarra Lane, and Alyssa Vodak does not go unnoticed! We thank you and celebrate you and your hard work!
 We are pleased to announce that our project, the Michigan Integrated Data Application for STI and HIV (MIDASH), has obtained State Administrative Board Approval as of May 24th.
We have entered into an agreement with Optum Government Solutions who will be partnering with us on this endeavor. Optum has demonstrated exceptional expertise in building data systems and has a proven track record of successful project implementations. We expect to start work on July 10th. If you have questions or comments, connect with us at MDHHS-MIDASH@Michigan.Gov.
As we move forward, we will keep you updated regularly on the project's progress and milestones achieved via newsletter emails branded MIDASH Newsflash. We remain committed to open communication, collaboration, and transparency ensuring that your interests and requirements are duly considered throughout the project lifecycle. We look forward to working with you to make MIDASH the best data system in the history of data systems.
During the week of March 13th, 2023, the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) and BHSP/MDHHS dispersed a co- branded letter and Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) sample script to providers and pharmacists across the State Of Michigan. In January 2023, there were important changes made to Michigan’s dispensing laws (MCL 333. 17754a) with the incorporation of electronic prescribing of controlled and non- controlled substances. The purpose of the letter was to make these audiences aware that EPT was an exemption to this new provision, and to encourage providers to continue paper and/or written prescribing of EPT, in the absence of on hand medications within the clinic setting. It is imperative that providers and pharmacists share this information to increase the usage and comfortability with prescribing EPT for those sexual partners exposed to gonorrhea (GC), chlamydia (CT), and trichomoniasis (TV).
Sample EPT Script Final.pdf
The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) will begin their 2023 data collection cycle this month. 400 individuals living with HIV in Michigan have been sampled by the CDC and will be invited by MDHHS data collectors to participate in the MMP process via mailed recruitment letters and phone calls. These data help the CDC and MDHHS better understand the behaviors, clinical outcomes, quality of care, and barriers to care and viral suppression among people with diagnosed HIV. Building trust amongst participants and the facilities where they receive care is of the utmost importance this year – if there are any questions about the legitimacy of letters or the participation process, please contact MMP Project Coordinator, Donnie Walker II: walkerD24@michigan.gov
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The National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) project will be focusing their research efforts this year on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, recruiting over 500 individuals during LGBTQ+ events to participate in the CDC survey and anonymous HIV testing. Their first event in the community will be The History Ball on June 10th, followed by Motorcity Pride on June 11th. Staff will also be recruiting from virtual sites and apps for the first time, allowing for further reach into the community and hopefully a more diverse and representative sample, by engaging with men who may otherwise not attend in-person events. NHBS will be visible in the Detroit area under the name, “Project Aware.” If agencies or community members have questions about the NHBS process or event calendar this year, please contact NHBS Project Coordinator, Emily Higgins: higginse@michigan.gov.
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Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance, with funding support from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Policy and Planning Office, has the opportunity to support non-profit employers in training eligible employees as community health workers. This effort is a component of the statewide Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Strategy launched by MDHHS to support health equity.
At no cost to the employer, eligible participants:
- will be enrolled in the MiCHWA Community Health Worker Certificate Program,
- graduate with a certificate,
- and enter into the MiCHWA registry.
Employer eligibility requirements include, but not limited to:
- 501(c)(3) status with less than $500,000 in annual revenue.*
- Employers must primarily serve in communities with long-standing health disparities related to race, income, geographic location, other sociodemographic characteristics, including incarceration and homelessness, or serve members of the LGBTQ+ community.
- Organizations with a higher annual revenue may qualify if serving a special population, which includes but is not limited to: Native American Tribes and those whose primary language is either Arabic, Burmese, Bangla, Chinese, and Spanish.
Click here to apply
For more information, please contact:
Kareem J. Baig, B.S., GC-Public Health, LSSBB Program & Grants Manager
Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA) kbaig@michwa.org
Miranda Bargert, MSW
Policy Analyst
Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA) mbargert@michwa.org
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Washington, DC – A complicated landscape lies ahead for those aging with HIV as they navigate a fragmented healthcare system making it difficult to access essential care, according to HealthHIV's Third Annual State of Aging with HIV National Survey Report. This report reveals that people aging with HIV experience more comorbidities, as well as increased medication needs, requiring increased engagement in healthcare. Other findings identify mental health and stress as major issues, as well as a lack of financial planning for retirement and long-term care. An uncertain future looms, as there is a strong sentiment among respondents that older people with HIV (PWH) are often forgotten and left out of the conversation around HIV care.
HealthHIV, as part of its Pozitively Aging program, has issued an extensive report on the State of Aging with HIV survey findings on their website.
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 Dear providers,
We are reaching out to clinical providers who may be interested in a paid opportunity to participate in a provider training study. We are a team of researchers, clinical care providers, and provider training experts from the RAND Corporation, California Prevention Training Center, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. We are conducting a pilot test of a provider training on understanding the impact of intersectional stigma experiences and how to respond to patient medical mistrust. This pilot test will examine whether the training helps increase patients' trust and care engagement, particularly as it is experienced by Black and Latinx HIV care consumers/patients.
If you are an HIV care provider (e.g., physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, registered nurse) who works with Black and Latinx HIV care consumers or patients, we would like to invite you to participate in our study. You will receive gift card for completing assessment and choose either gift card or up to 3.5 CME credits for completing the training. *See below for details.
To find out whether you are eligible to participate, please reach out to our study contact Marylou Gilbert (marylou@rand.org, 310-393-0411 x6007). You can also enter your contact information in this form if you are interested, and we will contact you to provide more information.
Please feel free to pass along to colleagues who may also be interested.
Sincerely,
Lu Dong, PhD & Laura Bogart, PhD, RAND Corporation Tim Vincent, MS, California Prevention Training Center Bisola Ojikutu, MD, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
You are receiving this message as a valued partner of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of HIV and STI Programs.
If you believe you received this message in error, please reach out to MDHHS-SHOARS-Support@Michigan.gov.
Michigan.gov/HIVSTI
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