Hep Free NYC Meeting Highlights | 03-04-2026

A Joint Hep B Coalition & Hep C Task Force Meeting

March 4, 2026 (2 – 4 PM)

Attendance: See below

Presentations

2024 Hepatitis A, B and C in NYC Surveillance Report Highlights
Holly Anger, MPH, Senior Surveillance and Research Scientist, Viral Hepatitis Program, NYC Health Department – hanger@health.nyc.gov
Christina Hwang, MPH, Project Director, Data Management, Viral Hepatitis Program, NYC Health Department – chwang@health.nyc.gov

Hep B Surveillance:
- In 2024, 305 people were newly reported with acute Hep B, an increase of 950% compared with 2023. This increase can largely be attributed to:
  - the implementation of a revised and more sensitive national surveillance case definition made by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE); and
  - an improved detection following 2023 amendments to the NYC Health Code requiring laboratories to report negative and indeterminate Hep B surface antigen test results.
- In 2024, of the 8,029 people newly reported with chronic Hep B in NYC,
  - 61% were male and 27% were ages 30 to 39 years; and
  - among those with known race and ethnicity, 47% were Asian or Pacific Islander and 32% were Black.
- The rate of death with Hep B as a cause was higher in Asian and Pacific Islander people than in people of other races and ethnicities, a trend that has persisted over the last 9 years.
Hep C Surveillance:
- In 2024, 398 people were reported with acute Hep C, an increase of 123% compared with 2023. This increase can be attributed largely to:
  - improved detection following 2023 amendments to the NYC Health Code requiring laboratories to report negative and indeterminate Hep C antibody test results.
- In 2024, there were 2,188 people newly reported with chronic Hep C in NYC, a decrease of 4% compared with 2023, the lowest level in a decade.
- Male-to-male sexual contact, HIV infection, and injection drug use were the most frequently reported risk factors among a group of people newly reported with acute or chronic Hep C and interviewed by the NYC Health Department.

Hepatitis B Vaccination Updates
Michaela Jackson, MPH, MS, Program Director, Prevention Policy, Hepatitis B Foundation – michaela.jackson@hepb.org

View presentation here
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association and other medical associations continue to recommend the universal Hep B birth dose and childhood vaccination.
NYC and NYS Hep B vaccine guidance remains unchanged and includes vaccinating:
- All babies within 24 hours of birth, followed by doses 2 (1 month) and 3 (6 months)
- Children 18 and younger (catch-up period)
- All adults 19 – 59
- Adults 60+ with risk factors for Hep B
- Anyone who wants the vaccine may receive it
- Find additional detail here NYS & NYC Health Advisory: Hep B Birth Dose
In NYC, Hep B vaccines are still required to meet school requirements

Hep Free NYC Committee Updates

Advocacy Committee
Jeannine Garriga, Outreach Coordinator, Hepatitis C Mentor and Support Group (HCMSG) – jeannine.hcmsg@gmail.com

View presentation here
Recap of the NYC Council Educational Briefing on Viral Hepatitis in NYC
- More than 43 community members, including Council Members Lynn Schulman, Tiffany Cabán, and council members staff from Ossé, Krishnan, Lee, Maloney and council speaker Menin attended.
- Community Ask: Members requested the continued funding of $2.24 million with an additional amount of $2.76 million, a total of $5 million for FY 2027 to support existing Hep B and C services.
Upcoming Advocacy Committee events:
- NYC Health Committee Hearing | March 19 @ 2:30 PM (Public Testimony
Join Hep Free NYC Advocacy Listserv for updates
Interested in joining the Advocacy Leadership Committee, email megchappell@empireliverfoundation.org and joycambe@empireliverfoundation.org

NYS Hep C Elimination Coalition: Legislative Education Day
Ellie Goldfarb, MPH, Program Coordinator, Housing Works – e.goldfarb@housingworks.org

View presentation here
34 members of the coalition attended, representing 11 organizations, and held 16 meetings reaching 39 elected officials.
Requested to sustain and increase Hep C funding to $10 million for existing services.
Listen to The Path to Ending Hep C Transmission by 2030 on The Capital Press Room

Announcement:

Consolidation of NYS Hep C Elimination Coalition, NYC Chapter & Hep Free NYC Hep C Task Force

This integration will help maintain and strengthen coordination between city and statewide Hep C mobilization efforts.
Interested in joining the transition team, email Meg Chappell and Ellie Goldfarb

Attendance:

Alexis Brenes, abrenes@health.nyc.gov
Allison Lemkin, alemkin@health.nyc.gov
Alma Chaves, achaves@health.nyc.gov
Amelia Martin, amartin10@health.nyc.gov
Assita Belemkoabga, assitab@africanservices.org
Augusto Kortright, akortrig@bronxcare.org
Batya Koenigsberg, koenigsb@nychhc.org
Brian Hennessey, hennessey@housingworks.org
Camryn McConnell, mcconnell@phila.gov
Carl Tyler, ctyler@sunriver.org
Carlos Velez, cvelez@ph.lacounty.gov
Christina Hwang, chwang@health.nyc.gov
Claude Lustin, clustin@health.nyc.gov
Cynthia Ortigoza, cortigoza@health.nyc.gov
Daniel Soto, soto2@mountsinai.org
Dawn Schuk, sisterlinkinc@gmail.com
Derett Jepson, jepson@abbvie.com
Diana Diaz-Munoz, ddiazmunoz@health.nyc.gov
Divine Prince Allah, sambo7the7@gmail.com
Donna Johnson, johnson@blueearthcountymn.gov
Edyne Zephirin, zephirin@cms.hhs.gov
Ellie Goldfarb, goldfarb@housingworks.org
Erica Finfer, efinfer@health.nyc.gov
Farah Riazi, friazi@health.nyc.gov
Farma Pene, fpene@health.nyc.gov
Fernando Valerio, fvalerio@chnnyc.org
Ginny Shubert, shubert@housingworks.org
Heather Richmond, hrichmond@dynavax.com
Holly Anger, hanger@health.nyc.gov
Ian Kundel, kundel@health.ny.gov
Ibrahima Sankare, ibrahimas@africanservices.org
Ivan Moforte, imonforte@health.nyc.gov
Jacob Herrera, herrera@mountsinai.org
James Learned, jlearned@thefamilycenter.org
Jane Fletcher, r.fletcher@arkansas.gov
Jeannine Garriga, hcmsg@gmail.com
Jeffrey Weiss, weiss@mountsinai.org
Jenna Gaudette, gaudette@housingworks.org
Jielei Wong, wong@nyulangone.org
Jose Martinez, martinez@harmreduction.org
Joy Cambe, joycambe@empireliverfoundation.org
Joy Zhu, jizhu@cbwchc.org
Jules LeLaurin, jules@natap.org
Julia Cohen, jcohen8@health.nyc.gov
Julie Lazaroff, jlazarof@health.nyc.gov
Julie Yoshimachi, jyoshimachi@cbwchc.org
Justin Levin, chanj15@nychhc.org
Karon Lewis, xfr4@cdc.gov
Kelly Monaghan, kmonagha@bronxcare.org
Kelly Riordan, riordan@gmail.com
Kevin Morris, morris@abbvie.com
Kimberly Uweh, uweh@cms.hhs.gov
Lauren Walker, walker3@mountsinai.org
Lauren Ostrenga, ostrenga@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Leandra Urena, lurea@health.nyc.gov
Liz Tang, ltang@health.nyc.gov
Luis Worrell, luis@alliance.nyc
Luke Grandis, grandis@health.ny.gov
Lynn Francis, lfrancis7@health.nyc.gov
Mahlet Maru, mahletm@africanservices.org
Marguerite Johnson, lelaurim@nychhc.org
Marie Bresnahan, mbresnahan@helath.nyc.gov
Martha Giardina, marthaloves@hotmail.com
Mary Chiang, mchiang@cbwchc.org
Mary DeGiovine-Robins, mdegiovinerobins@nadap.org
Medesa Garrett, mgarrett@sunriver.org
Meg Chappell, megchappell@empireliverfoundation.org
Megan Peters, mpeters@chemungcountyny.gov
Melissa McNeese, mcneese@msdh.ms.gov
Michaela Jackson, jackson@hepb.org
Minhee Lee, mlee@kcsny.org
Myah Smith, mnyeboer@vbcassdhd.org
Nicki Harris, harrisn15@nychhc.org
Nicolette Fitgibbon, nfitzgibbo@montefiore.org
Perla Romero, perla@alliance.nyc
Pooja Mehta, pmehta@schsa.org
Rahel Yosief, ryosief@health.nyc.gov
Raksha Dondapati, x.dondapati@gsk.com
Rebecca Bergman, bergman@tn.gov
Reed Vreeland, rvreeland@health.nyc.gov
Ricky Zhu, rzhu1@health.nyc.gov
Ronni Marks, ronnimarks24@gmail.com
Ruth Velazquez, ruvelazq@bronxcare.org
Sam Eldridge, seldridge@pa.gov
Susan Diaz, susandiazmph@gmail.com
Tara Melfi, tmelfi@health.nyc.gov
Teresa Miller, millert@chqgov.com
Umaima Khatun, ukhatun@health.nyc.gov
Versalle Shelton, vshelton@health.nyc.gov
Vilmarie Vázquez Santos, vvsmssv@gmail.com
William Guy, guy@msdh.ms.gov
Veronica, vriafrecha@bmsfhc.org

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by HepFree NYC

Tags: Advocacy Hepatitis B Hepatitis C