about us

MISSION

To maximize the health and wellness of all Allegheny County residents living with and at risk for hepatitis C by expanding prevention, harm reduction, education, testing, and timely access to care and treatment.

VISION

Hep C Free Allegheny envisions a county where new hepatitis C infections are rare and quickly identified, and people with hepatitis C are rapidly linked to care and treated, reducing hepatitis C related inequities.

VALUES

Equity

We believe in health justice, recognizing that discrimination and stigma have contributed to the current hepatitis C epidemic we face. We believe that all people deserve access to testing and treatment.

Collaboration

We approach hepatitis C as an intersectional issue, recognizing that the opioid, HIV, and hepatitis epidemics are closely intertwined. We are a multi-sectoral effort, involving people from many disciplines and empowering people living with or at risk for hepatitis C to have a meaningful role in our work.

Advocacy

We address issues of equity through education and awareness, as well by changing our policies and structures to remove obstacles to hepatitis C prevention and care.

Evidence Based

We recognize harm reduction as an evidenced-based practice to reduce hepatitis C. We use data to drive our decision-making, and to evaluate our progress toward eliminating hepatitis C, including reducing hepatitis C related inequities.

1. Surveillance: Collect and analyze data to estimate the number of persons infected, tested, successfully treated, and with long-term complications in Allegheny County.

2. Testing & Linkage to Care: Expand hepatitis C screening and confirmatory testing, and ensure that people diagnosed with hepatitis C are linked to care, treatment, and supportive services.

3. Treatment Expansion: Train healthcare providers to treat hepatitis C infection and develop new models of care in a variety of settings.

4. Education, Prevention, & Advocacy: Educate health and human service providers and the public on hepatitis C prevention, screening, and treatment and increase access to evidence-based substance use treatment and harm reduction strategies. Activate and center the voice of consumers through our advocacy initiatives.

1-1: Provide estimates for the number of people living with hepatitis C infection

1-2: Monitor the number of new infections

1-3: Monitor access to testing for hepatitis C among high-risk populations

1-4: Monitor the number of people successfully treated for hepatitis C

1-5: Monitor complications associated with hepatitis C infection

1-6: Identify and monitor infants at risk for perinatal hepatitis C infection

1-7: Disseminate data on hepatitis C measures to providers, the public, and other stakeholders

2-1: Implement hepatitis C screening of all adults and adolescents in targeted high-risk settings including but not limited to emergency departments, OB/GYN practices, drug and alcohol facilities, and correctional facilities

2-2: Increase testing among priority populations, including but not limited to the Act 87 Birth Cohort, women of reproductive age, pregnant women, people who use drugs, and people experiencing homelessness

2-3: Ensure reflex confirmatory testing for all people tested for hepatitis C

2-4: Build a system to connect all diagnosed people to hepatitis C care and treatment

2-5 Implement current and future screening guidelines for hepatitis C within primary care

3-1: Expand hepatitis C treatment in Allegheny County through our Primary Care Hepatitis C Treatment Training Program and other training opportunities as available

3-2: Expand access to hepatitis C treatment in community clinics, healthcare settings, methadone clinics, correctional facilities, and drug and alcohol facilities

3-3: Improve treatment options for people who use drugs across many different settings

4-1: Educate the community about hepatitis C prevention, screening, linkage to care, and the intersection of the opioid epidemic and hepatitis C to reduce stigma

4-2: Participate in advocacy to promote Hep C Free Allegheny’s mission locally/state-wide

4-3: Collect new and leverage existing data, to measure the impact of education, prevention, and advocacy efforts

4-4: Engage a broad cross-sector of partners to support Hep C Free Allegheny’s efforts, including county and city government, media, business and faith leaders, and other stakeholders