Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division

Overview

The Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division works toward the prevention of infectious and communicable diseases as well as promoting health and wellness to the residents of Hartford. The Division has a host of programs aimed at addressing the disproportionate disease rates affecting Hartford residents, health inequities and disparities in Hartford are key factors to diminishing.

Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

The clinic at the Department provides confidential STD testing and treatment Monday through Friday from 8:00 am-5:00 pm for individuals 13 years of age and older. Walk-ins are accepted for those who sign-up by 8am, but we encourage visitors to make an appointment to lessen waiting time. Testing includes Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis C, Herpes and other STD's. We provide Hepatitis A, B and Gardasil vaccines to those eligible. Free condoms are available along with education to individuals or groups. For a complete list of STD signs, symptoms and treatment visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention STD information webpage. For more information or to make an appointment, please call (860) 757-4830.

The clinic provides services for a fee and is currently accepting the following insurances: Medicare, Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Cigna. United Healthcare and Connecticare are pending and we do not accept Aetna.

Epidemiology

This program promotes a better understanding of health problems and needs in Hartford and assists the Department with the initiation and maintenance of surveillance systems, data management, and reporting; collection of birth and death information; coordination of specific grants; and public health information dissemination. The program also provides support in the investigation of the cause, origin, and method of transmission of communicable or infectious diseases and environmentally-related medical conditions. The interrelated services focus on surveillance of diseases and the environment, upon which appropriate prevention and control interventions are based, including responses to disease outbreak situations. Questions related to epidemiology can call (860) 757-4726.

Follow this link to access data and reports; disease fact sheets; and disease maps. A listing of current reportable diseases as well as how to report foodborne illness can be found here.

Opioid and Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program

Long-term use of opioids (even if taking medication as directed) or misuse of opioids (e.g., taking a prescription opioid in a manner not instructed, that belonged to someone else, or to feel euphoria) can lead to addiction, tolerance, or dependence. Furthermore, opioid misuse may lead to an overdose, which can result in coma or death.

In Hartford, opioid-related incidents is a growing concern, with the number of opioid-related fatalities and emergency room visits increasing. Through an award from the Connecticut Department of Public Health to address opioid-related issues, the Department of Health and Human Services partners with various community organizations to focus on providing education and awareness, facilitate linkage to treatment, promote the prescription monitoring and reporting system, promote and track the usage of Naloxone, and strengthen data sharing across agencies.

You can read more about our partner agency by following this link: Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition.

For more information about opioids, overdose prevention, and safe disposal, visit the State of Connecticut's Substance Use webpage at drugfreeCT.org.

Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic

The clinic also offers testing and follow-up care of tuberculosis for Hartford residents. These services are for individuals with active TB disease, those with positive skin tests (TB infection), and their contacts. Clinic hours are the 4th Wednesdays of each month and by appointment only. For a complete list of TB signs, symptoms and treatment visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuberculosis information webpage.

Ryan White - HIV/STD Help

The Greater Hartford Ryan White Part A Planning Council is comprised of community stakeholders and members, including persons living with HIV and AIDS. The Council is mandated by the federal government to identify gaps in HIV care and heart-healthy services and to allocate Ryan White funds for establishing a comprehensive continuum of care for persons with HIV or AIDS.

HIV Prevention

Free, confidential rapid HIV testing and counseling with results available in 20 minutes are available at the clinic. HIV education, testing and counseling services are also offered to community organizations, halfway houses, homeless shelters, youth groups, schools and at community health fairs. For more details, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV information webpage.

Community Health Screenings and Health Fairs

The Division also has an outreach component that provides health education and health screenings (i.e. testing for blood pressure, blood sugar, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections) at various community sites. Please call our office at (860) 757-4846 for more information about community outreach effort dates and times.

STD/HIV Training Site

The Hartford STD clinic is one of ten Centers for Disease Control training facilities in the country for health care professionals. We offer four 3-day intensive STD clinical courses per year. For additional information please visit the Sylvie Ratelle HIV/STD training website.

Hartford Comprehensive Cancer Task Force

As a member of this community collaborative, clinic staff provides education, resources, and notify the public of cancer education, screening or support services in the area. For information please call (860) 757-4846.

Ryan White/HOPWA Data Integration Project

In May 2016, Ryan White Part A was awarded a 3-year grant towards integrating the Ryan White information system, CAREWare, with the HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People with HIV/AIDS) information system. This pilot project would encompasses the Ryan White Transitional Grant Area, which includes Hartford, Middlesex and Tolland Counties. The goals of the project are to:

  1. Develop and enact new policies and processes to support data exchange and analysis;
  2. Create a bi-directional interface between the CAREWare and CaseWorthy systems used by the project partners;
  3. Develop and implement a cross training curriculum to foster improved service delivery, data exchange and analysis;
  4. Analyze comprehensive data to assess changes in health outcomes and housing status;
  5. Document and disseminate challenges, lessons learned, best practices, and innovative models;
  6. Improve health outcomes and housing status for persons living with HIV/AIDS who are at greater risk for homelessness.

This Data Integration Grant (DIG, for short) is steered by committee to enact policies and procedures to create a seamless coordination between the HOPWA and Ryan White service delivery systems as well as to provide input with the implementation and evaluation of this project. This coordination of systems is intended to improve health outcomes and the housing status for HOPWA and Ryan White clients. DIG Committee members are HOPWA and Ryan White providers and/or consumers.

This project is set to wrap-up by August 2018. Should you have any questions, please contact Peta-Gaye Nembhard at (860) 757-4705.

Greater Hartford Women's Healthy Heart

In collaboration with St. Francis Hospital, the Women's Healthy Heart Program provides a neighborhood-based heart disease risk assessment and individual interactive education to Hartford women to promote heart healthy behaviors. For signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke and for more information about the Women's Heart Program, please visit the Saint Francis Care Women's Heart Program website.

HIV/Hepatitis-C Coinfection Project

Although HIV treatment outcomes continue to improve among People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), Hepatitis-C (HCV) co-infection has emerged as a major concern, with approximately one quarter of PLWHA also co-infected with HCV. HCV disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Blacks/African Americans, Latinos/as and American Indians/Alaskan Natives.

The HIV/HCV Coinfection Project seeks to improve health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities who are infected with HCV, building capacity for local hospitals and federal health centers to provide treatment that will cure individuals who are medically identified.

In collaboration with UCONN Health Center, St. Francis Hospital, Community Health Services, Hartford Hospital, Rockville General Hospital, Charter Oak Health Center, and Community Health Center, Inc., project partners will work to improve health outcomes for persons living with HIV and HCV.

The project’s goals are to:

  1. Increase HCV screening among people of color living with HIV;
  2. Provide training on HCV prevention, care, and treatment for people of color living with HIV;
  3. Patient education on HCV prevention, care, and treatment;
  4. Clinical practice transformation to treat HCV among people of color living with HIV;
  5. Increase access for people of color living with HIV to care and treatment, including medication, for HCV; and
  6. Enhance medication adherence support for HCV among HIV/HCV co-infected people of color.

Grant funding will run through September 2019. Please address any questions about this project to Angelique Croasdale at (860) 757-4706.