Hepatitis C Program Background:
In 2,000, in response to an increased awareness of hepatitis C prevalence, the Arizona legislature allocated funds from the Arizona tobacco tax monies to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to conduct hepatitis C surveillance and prevention activities. Arizona is estimated to have a hepatitis C population of 100,000 cases. ADHS receives approximately 8,000 hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) positive laboratory reports per year and approximately 75% are confirmed HCV-infected individuals.

Goals:
Three major goals the department focuses on are education, integration, and vaccination.

Education: To date, the department has trained approximately 1,193 individuals through our "Train the Trainer" program on hepatitis C. Scheduled upcoming trainings will be posted on the AZDHS website as they are confirmed. The department participates in community health fairs, health fairs at correctional facilities and local health events to contribute to educational needs.

Vaccination: The Hepatitis C Program provides local and county health departments with free hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine to HCV-positive individuals who are either underinsured or uninsured. The program is available only while vaccine supplies last and is on a "first come, first serve" basis. All county health departments in Arizona have agreed to administer the vaccine and complete the necessary follow-up to complete the 2-dose hepatitis A and 3-dose hepatitis B series or Twinrix. Plans are to expand the program to reach more individuals.

Integration: At the beginning of 2007, the Hepatitis C Program integrated services with HIV/AIDS and the STD program to form a new office. The new office of HIV/AIDS, STD, and Hepatitis C Services has collaborated with TERROS, Inc., a not-for-profit community-based organization that provides substance abuse treatment services and comprehensive behavioral health services to clients in Maricopa County, to provide testing and vaccination to clients enrolled in their Safety Counts program.