Are there potential new partnerships or alliances that you would like the health departments to pursue related to HIV prevention efforts? What role do you envision these partners having?
Would like to see more money for collaborative projects involving community based organizations (CBOs), health departments, and HIV prevention researchers.
Faith communities to help advance HIV prevention, especially among racial and ethnic minority communities.
Partnerships with HIV/AIDS prevention research centers.
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, UCSF to strengthen intervention, strategies, technology diffusion, and advance community planning.
What are the most significant barriers that you encounter to planning or implementing effective HIV prevention programs in your state (or city)?
While we know a lot about effective invention strategies, there are still political barriers to implementing these strategies (e.g., needle exchange, condom distribution, comprehensive sex education).
There’s a need for cost-effectiveness data (rating system), national summaries about effectiveness, technical assistance that pays attention to cultural competence, better prevalence/incidence data, and guidance on cost/unit calculations.
There is a lack of a strong federal public health initiative to address the ongoing HIV epidemic.
The ban on use of federal funds for needle-exchange programs hinders ability to reduce HIV infection in IDUs, their sexual partners, and their children.
Lack of capacity (financial, administrative) among community-based organizations is an ongoing problem.
Populations most strongly effected by HIV/AIDS are viewed as expendable.
Confidentiality concerns: there is an eroding of confidentiality protections (e.g., HIV name reporting, trends toward criminalization).
What are the most significant, unrealized opportunities for improved HIV prevention in your state (or city)?
Would like to create more partnerships with academic institutions.
Would like to see more collaboration between prevention programs and care programs for HIV-infected individuals.