In November 2016, the city of Houston (TX), launched a citywide plan to end the HIV epidemic. “Roadmap to Ending the HIV Epidemic in Houston” offers more than 30 recommendations for health care providers and policymakers in an ambitious effort to decrease new cases of HIV from roughly 1,200 per year to 600, or cut the rate in half, over five years. The recommendations were developed following a year of community engagement and outreach to key stakeholders, focusing on five key areas: access to care, prevention, social determinants of health, criminal justice, and policy and research. The guiding message throughout the plan is that public health and healthcare professionals have the tools to stop the spread of this disease, but unless we address serious systemic issues like poverty, racism, violence, stigma and transphobia, we will never accomplish our goals.
Visit the End HIV Houston website to learn more.