Hep C Task Force Meeting Highlights | 09-25-2019

Hep C Task Force Meeting Highlights | 09-25-2019

September 25th (3- 5PM) American Cancer Society: 132 W 32nd St, Manhattan
In Attendance: See Below

Viral Hepatitis Initiative Champions Recognition – List of awardees here. 

Presentations

Pilot Study: Feasibility of Hepatitis C RNA Diagnostic Testing via Dried Blood Spot in Non-Clinical Settings in NYS
Tracey Knickerbocker, MA, and Melissa Frisbie, MPH, NYS HCV Rapid Testing Program Coordinators, NYS Health Department – tracey.knickerbocker@health.ny.gov and melissa.frisbie@health.ny.gov

• View full presentations here.

NYC Dry Blood Spot Testing Pilot Site Experience: Mount Sinai Respectful & Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program
Farah Riazi, Outreach Coordinator – farah.riazi@mountsinai.org

• The REACH Program implemented the Dried Blood Spot testing for Hep C RNA in late 2018 and found that they were able to considerably expand their testing capacity. Dry Blood Spot testing allowed testing of participants with veins that are difficult to access and allowed the team to provide discreet testing services while conducting outreach in the community because a phlebotomist is not needed.
• Challenges included: transportation of samples due to the bulkiness of the transportation boxes and collecting blood samples during the winter months (hand warmers and hand sanitizers improved blood flow).

NYC Hep C Test Training Resources
Irma Kocer, CDC Public Health Advisor, NYC Health Department –  ikocer@health.nyc.gov
Marie Bresnahan, Director, Training, Policy and Administration, NYC Health Department –  mbresnahan@health.nyc.gov

• NYC Rapid Hep C Testing Guidance and Resources
• New York City Hepatitis C Training Guide
• Orasure provides onsite training – Contact Rebekah Parsons, MS, Public Health—Infectious Disease Testing, rparsons@orasure.com

Recruiting Participants for Paid Research Study

Reducing Drinking in HIV and Hep C Patients –  Jennifer C. Elliott, PhD, NYS Psychiatric Institute – Jennifer.Elliott@nyspi.columbia.edu

• View presentation here.

Policy and Advocacy

Annette Gaudino, State & Local Policy Director, Treatment Action Group –  annette.gaudino@treatmentactiongroup.org

• NYC Council has introduced a new bill: Eliminating Viral Hepatitis in NYC (Int 1703-2019). The proposed legislation would require that the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene develop a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis in New York City by the year 2030.
• Bronx Hep C Town Hall: What is New York doing to end Hep C? @ Argus Community Center, October 18  (3 – 5 PM).
• City Council Viral Hepatitis Initiative Update, the advocacy leads for each program for FY 21 will be: 
  • Overall Lead: Reed Vreeland, Director of NYC Community Mobilization, Housing Works – r.vreeland@housingworks.org
  • Check Hep C: Courtney Dower, Program Manager, Dept. of Family Medicine, BronxCare – cdower@bronxleb.org
  • Hep C Peer Program: Mike Selick, Hep C Training & Policy Manager, Harm Reduction Coalition – selick@harmreduction.org
  • Empire Liver Foundation (ELF): Joy Cambe, Program Coordinator, ELF – joycambe@empireliverfoundation.org
  • Hepatitis C Mentoring and Support Group (HCMSG): Ronni Marks, Founder, HCMSG – ronnimarks24@gmail.com

Committee Updates

1. 1. Alexis Brenes Health Care Access Specialist DOHMH abrenes@health.nyc.gov
   2. Annette Gaudino HCV Project Co-Director Treatment Action Group annette.gaudino@treatmentactiongroup.org
   3. Brian Hennessey PREP Coordinator Housingworks b.hennessey@housingworks.org
   4. Bruce Glazer Account Executive AbbVie bruce.glazer@abbvie.com
   5. Charu Malhotra Verma VHP Intern DOHMH cverma@health.nyc.gov
   6. Courtney Dower Program Manager Bronx-Lebanon Family Medicine cdower@bronxleb.org
   7. Daniela Sanclemente Patient Navigator Elmhurst Hospital sanclemd@nychhc.org
   8. Farah Riazi Outreach Coordinator Mount Sinai farah.riazi@mountsinai.org
   9. Farma Pene Health Care Access Specialist DOHMH fpene@health.nyc.gov
   10. Fernando Valerio Check Hep C Patient Navigator Community Health Care Networks fvalerio@chnnyc.org
   11. Gillian Saunders Director of Healthcare Compliance and Special Projects Housing Works G.Saunders@housingworks.org
   12. Gregory Barber HCV Peer Educator Montefiore Medical Center – DOSA – Help C Program
   13. Jaylean Jones Hep C navigator Family Services Network jjones@fsnny.org
   14. Jennifer Elliott Research New York State Psychiatric Institute & Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
   15. Jielei Li Viral Hepatitis Program Intern DOHMH jli10@health.nyc.gov
   16. Joy Cambe Program Coordinator Empire Liver Foundation joycambe@empireliverfoundation.org
   17. Justin Chan Infectious Disease physician, Clinician Educator Correctional Health Services, NYC Health + Hospitals chanj15@nychhc.org
   18. Kyle Hwand Care Coordinator APICHA khwang@apicha.org
   19. Liz Tang Health Care Access Specialist DOHMH ltang@health.nyc.gov
   20. Louie Jones Peer Navigator New York Harm Reduction Educators ljones@nyhre.org
   21. Lucy Vega Check Hep C Patient Navigator Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center Lvega@bsfhc.org
   22. Luis Perez Pharmacy Specialist/Advocate AIDS Healthcare Foundation luis.r.perez@aidshealth.org
   23. Luisa Mareo Patient Navigator luisa.martelo@nychhc.org
   24. Mahnoor Ali Research New York State Psychiatric Institute & Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
   25. Mahnoor.Ali@nyspi.columbia.edu
   26. Makeda Bryan Patient Navigator Brownsville Multiservice Family Health Center mbryan@bmsfhc.org
   27. Marie Bresnahan Project Director DOHMH-Viral Hepatitis mbresnahan@health.nyc.gov
   28. Martha Gohlke Lead HCV Screening and Linkage to Care NYS DOH martha.gohlke@health.nyc.gov
   29. Mary Correa Senior Director Grant Programs mcorrea@brightpointhealth.org
   30. Maura Lash NYC DOHMH mlash@health.nyc.gov
   31. Medesa Garrett HCV Coordinator Brightpoint Health mgarrett@brightpointhealth.org
   32. Melinda Smith Assistant Research Coordinator Weill Cornell Medical Center mjs4001@med.cornell.edu
   33. Melissa Frisbie NYS DOH melissa.frisbie@health.ny.gov
   34. Nadine Kela-Murphy Practice Transformation Specialist DOHMH nkelamurphy@health.nyc.gov
   35. Nicolette Fitzgibbon Hep C Care Coordinator Montefiore Medical Center nfitzgibbo@montefiore.org
   36. Nirah Johnson Director of Program Implementation & Capacity Building DOHMH njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
   37. Oluwatoyin Erinle, MD|MPH Program Coordinator, Hepatitis Bronx Care Health System Oerinle@bronxleb.org
   38. Perla Romero Harm Reduction Coordinator The Alliance for Positive Change – Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center Perla@alliance.nyc
   39. Rahel Yosief Patient Navigator BOOM!Health ryosief@boomhealth.org
   40. Reed Vreeland Director of NYC Community Mobilization Housing Works r.vreeland@housingworks.org
   41. Rosy Mota Director of Community Health Education Latino Commission on AIDS rmota@latinoaids.org
   42. Samantha Brandspiegel Health Educator Mount Sinai Samantha.brandspiegel@mountsinai.org
   43. Sarah Ahmed Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator DOHMH sahmed10@health.nyc.gov
   44. Sarah Usher Linkage to care specialist Brightpoint Health susher@brightpointhealth.org
   45. Sheila Reynoso Montefiore Medical Center sreynoso@montefiore.org
   46. Tracey Knickerbocker NYS DOH tracey.knickerbocker@health.ny.gov
   47. Umaima Khatun Program Coordinator DOHMH ukhatun@health.nyc.gov
   48. Vianney Aguilar CHASI vianney.arguilar@chasiny.org
   49. Yacaris De Jesus Patient Navigator Bellvue yacaris.dejesus@nychhc.org
   50. Yanting (Kelly) Huang Data Manager DOHMH-Viral Hepatitis yhuang5@health.nyc.gov

Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by HepFree NYC