End Hep C SF

San Francisco is profoundly impacted by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a chronic and deadly liver disease. Like many communicable diseases, HCV disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, specifically people who inject drugs, are homeless or marginally housed, have a history of incarceration, or are living with HIV, as well as people of color. Fortunately, there is now a highly effective treatment transforming HCV care and health outcomes. HCV can be cured in nearly all infected people in three months or less, with oral pills that have minimal side effects.
 
We have the tools to greatly reduce HCV-related infections, but we must now devote the time and resources necessary to treat difficult-to-reach communities and reduce the stigma surrounding this disease. To accomplish and realize this goal, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), community-based organizations and advocates have come together to establish the End Hep C SF Initiative. The Initiative’s mission is to support all San Franciscans living with and at risk for HCV to maximize their health and wellness, while eliminating HCV-related health inequities. 

"I've seen first-hand how challenging it can be to reach patients who not only are marginalized by society because of homelessness or addiction, but also are living with a disease they may not even know they have. Others yet may have been told mistakenly that they don’t qualify for treatment. That is why End Hep C SF takes a 360-degree approach to hepatitis C. This includes innovative outreach to diagnose those who are infected and may still not know it, educating both patients and healthcare providers on the very effective therapies that are now available, and reducing the stigma and misinformation around this disease." Dr. Annie Luetkemeyer, UCSF 

The Hellman Collaborative Change Initiative GROWTH grant enables this collaboration to provide “hot spot” testing in communities where the risk is highest, to train healthcare providers in new treatment protocols, and to create a citywide anti-stigma campaign. 

The Collaboration

End Hep C SF brings together key stakeholders across the medical, local government, non-profit, and advocacy communities in a collaborative decision-making process. Partners include: 
  • UCSF – Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Positive Health Program
  • San Francisco Department of Public Health
  • Tom Waddell Urban Health Clinic, San Francisco Department of Public Health
  • Project Inform
  • California Hepatitis Alliance (CalHEP)
  • UCSF Alliance Health Project
  • BAART Programs
  • Bayview Hunter’s Point Foundation
  • Drug Policy Alliance
  • GLIDE
  • HealthRIGHT360
  • Harm Reduction Coalition
  • Hughes Healthcare Disparities Group
  • Homeless Youth Alliance
  • Kaiser Permanente - San Francisco
  • Larkin Street Youth Services
  • Mission Wellness Pharmacy
  • Mission Neighborhood Health Center
  • San Francisco Department of Public Health
  • RTI International
  • San Francisco AIDS Foundation
  • San Francisco Health Plan
  • Shanti Project
  • St. James Infirmary
  • Sutter Health
  • San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force
  • The UFO Study
  • Walgreens
  • Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

The Problem

  • Hepatitis C is a public health crisis in San Francisco – since 2007, over 16,000 cases have been reported to the Department of Public Health
  • Hepatitis C infection can go undetected for many years leading to a high risk of transmission across communities 
  • Stigma and lack of accurate knowledge about hepatitis C among affected communities and healthcare providers impede appropriate testing, diagnosis and treatment