Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE)
Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE)
As the U.S. continues to respond to COVID-19, increased investments in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative are vital to regain momentum, advance innovation, and achieve health equity. The EHE initiative is scaling up four science-based strategies that can end the epidemic: Diagnose, Treat, Prevent, and Respond. For maximum impact, CDC is continuing to invest in communities most affected by HIV — to help local HIV programs recover, rebuild, and begin to expand EHE strategies in the wake of COVID-19.Outreach to deliver key prevention strategies, like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), will be expanded and strengthened in settings like STD clinics and syringe services programs, which are critical to reaching people at risk for HIV who may not otherwise have access to healthcare. These investments are part of a bold U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-wide initiative that strives to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030. If sufficient resources become available, the initiative will eventually expand to other areas.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In February 2019, the federal government introduced a new initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America". This is a ten-year initiative beginning in FY 2020 focused on reducing new HIV infections by 2030. The initiative will involve several government agencies, including Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) among others. Through this federal initiative, funding will primarily be distributed to 48 counties with the highest burden of new HIV diagnoses to “End the Epidemic” in their jurisdiction. HHS released a guide to this initiative’s plan, Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. Their guide outlines the four key strategies the plan will utilize to reach its goals: Diagnose, Treat, Protect, and Respond.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
To learn more about this initiative, visit:
www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview