HIV: Ending the HIV Epidemic

Diagnose:

Diagnosing those with HIV as early as possible prevents individuals from unknowingly transmitting the virus to others. Strategies in the diagnosis pillar focus on increasing access to testing for all community members by working across social service and health sectors to offer testing in a convenient and accessible way that meets people where they are.

Treat:

Receiving treatment rapidly and effectively allows PLWH (People Living with HIV) to reach sustained viral suppression. As a person’s viral load becomes undetectable, it also becomes untransmissible. Strategies in the treat pillar focus on guiding PLWH into care and providing the support necessary to remain in care through medical care, support networks, peer support and meeting the basic need of housing.

Prevent:

Preventing new HIV transmissions will be essential to ending the HIV epidemic in Cuyahoga County. Five strategies prioritize the continuation of successful existing prevention activities expanding them as necessary, and to create new programs and opportunities for innovative and evidenced based practices to be implemented within the community.

Respond:

Responding to HIV outbreaks requires connecting prevention and treatment services to people quickly and effectively. Effective outbreak response must be built on a plan that can be enacted rapidly with clear roles for each entity involved developed prior to an outbreak occurring.

• EHE Standards of Care Manual
• EHE Monitoring Standards
• EHE Policy and Procedure Manual

All EHE/Ryan White Part A service providers must adhere to their established system for client grievances about the operation of the service program. Complaints and grievances against the service provider related to EHE/Ryan White Part A grant supported services should be properly recorded for review by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. If you are a EHE/Ryan White Part A client dissatisfied with your service, please follow the established grievance process with the provider.  Should you remain dissatisfied after the provider grievance process is completed, please contact (216) 201-2001 ext. 1326.

Community engagement is integral to ending the HIV epidemic. In January 2023, the Ending the HIV Epidemic Community Advisory Group (CAG) was formed as a strategy to bring together community stakeholders to identify new partners and amplify the voices of current partners across sectors to guide the implementation of the EHE Plan. Attendees span multiple sectors, including PLWH, medical providers, social workers, harm reduction agencies, Ryan White Planning Council members, local universities, other local health departments, LGBT organizations, and other community members.