Empowering Addiction Service Providers

The syndemic of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) presents significant clinical and educational challenges. Given the bidirectional risks of these infections, individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) who have acquired one virus face an increased risk of acquiring another due to shared transmission pathways, structural barriers to health care, and disparities in access to prevention and treatment services, thus, further contributing to increased morbidity and mortality among this high-risk population. Addiction service providers, as well as their nonclinical health care extenders, are uniquely positioned to intervene at critical points in care to improve screening, prevention, and linkage to treatment for individuals at risk of or living with HIV, HCV, and HBV. Many addiction service professionals, however, report gaps in knowledge and confidence regarding viral screening protocols, risk reduction strategies, and care coordination. The 4-part webinar series titled Empowering Addiction Service Providers: Best Practices for HIV, HCV, and HBV Screening, Prevention, and Linkage to Care, aims to address these gaps by providing real-world insights from successful HIV and viral hepatitis treatment and prevention service models, as well as targeted education that centers on 1) the epidemiology and transmission pathways of HIV, HCV, and HBV among individuals with SUD, 2) the development and implementation of effective screening protocols for HIV, HCV, and HBV within addiction treatment settings, 3) the prevention of infection, including the use of preexposure prophylaxis for HIV, and 4) strategies to overcome challenges associated with stigma and adherence to treatment among individuals with SUD and co-occurring viral infections.