Merry Monlux

This document outlines Santa Clara County's implementation blueprint to realize the 30 strategies of California's Integrated Statewide Strategic Plan for addressing HIV, HCV, and STIs from 2022-2026. The plan is structured around six social determinants of health, serving as key strategic pillars: Racial Equity, Housing First, Health Access for All, Mental Health and Substance Use, Economic Justice, and Stigma Free. The overarching mission is to center equity and racial justice, eliminate health inequities, and achieve a future free of systemic racism and new HIV, HCV, and STIs, ensuring all affected individuals receive comprehensive, stigma-free care and resources.

This document serves as an implementation blueprint monitoring report for Santa Clara County, detailing objectives and indicators across various social determinants of health. It focuses on reducing new HIV diagnoses, STI co-infections, and improving outcomes related to HIV care such as PrEP utilization, early linkage to care, and viral suppression. The plan further emphasizes racial equity, provides housing support through a 'Housing First' approach, ensures health access for all residents, addresses mental health and substance use challenges, promotes economic justice, and works towards creating a stigma-free community.

This Integrated Statewide Strategic Plan for the California Department of Public Health outlines a roadmap from 2027 to 2031 to address Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in California. The plan adopts a 'syndemic' approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of these health issues and their root causes in social determinants of health. It is structured around six key pillars: racial equity, housing, access to healthcare, mental health and substance use, economic justice, and stigma. The overarching vision is to achieve a California free of systemic racism and new HIV, HCV, and STIs, ensuring that all affected individuals can access necessary services and live healthy, dignified lives without stigma.

The Personnel Board conducted a hearing regarding a suspension appeal filed by an appellant against the County of Santa Clara Planning and Development Department. The proceedings reviewed findings related to charges of inefficiency, incompetence, negligence, and failure to maintain harmonious working relationships. The Board ultimately voted to uphold the 40-hour suspension of the appellant for violations of the County Charter and merit system rules.

The committee reports encompass updates from the Prevention, Care, and Executive Committees. Key topics include potential facility improvements at the HOPE Center, PrEP activity and injectable uptake in Santa Clara County, and ongoing improvement efforts for the AIDS Grove. Discussions also addressed Pride event planning, client food and housing services, the GY2027 PSRA process, and the Integrated Plan for 2027-2031. Additionally, the committees reviewed administrative delays regarding federal funding, membership recruitment challenges, strategies to improve commissioner participation, and various outreach initiatives including HIV home test kit distribution.