Marion County, Indiana
Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative
Background
Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) is a bold plan announced in 2019 that aims to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030. Agencies across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) developed an operational plan to pursue that goal accompanied by a request for additional resources that were provided by Congress.
The plan leverages critical scientific advances in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outbreak response by coordinating the highly successful programs, resources, and infrastructure of many HHS agencies and offices. In its first phase, the initiative is focusing on areas where HIV transmission occurs most frequently, providing 57 geographic focus areas with an infusion of additional resources, expertise, and technology to develop and implement locally tailored EHE plans. Marion County, Indiana is one of the focus areas.
Vision
We believe that Marion County and Indiana can become a place where new HIV transmissions and cases of AIDS are rare, people living with HIV have treatment and services to support health and prevention, and few people are vulnerable or exposed to the virus.
Values
Every person has potential to achieve better health.
With sufficient information, services, support and structural change, every person has the ability to address the leading preventable health issues and epidemics in Marion County and Indiana.
Communities are Marion County’s most important source of innovation and effective health promotion.
This plan actively encourages the involvement of all community organizations, including faith-based groups, local businesses, community centers, schools and universities, and a range of charities.
Health services and supportive services can always be improved.
This plan aims for improvements in service design and delivery and recognizes the value of integrating HIV services with other health and supportive services to meet people’s needs in efficient and effective ways.
Diversity is a strength.
Here in the crossroads of America, Indianapolis and Indiana have always benefitted from the diversity of people – individuals of all ages, traditions, backgrounds, and circumstances – who have come here to live and work. We cannot be isolated from each other, especially in combatting an epidemic. We gain capacity, skills and insights by working together across diverse perspectives and open communication and debate.
Stigma has no place in an epidemic response.
Efforts to end the HIV epidemic should be informed by evidence, including scientific evidence and community-generated evidence, and should confront and reject stereotypes, stigma, discrimination and criminalization that impede effective programming. This plan defines strategies and actions that follow best evidence without prejudice about illness or disability, sexuality and sexual expression, gender and gender expression, addiction and drug use, mental health, poverty, social and economic class, neighborhood and region, age, accent and language, and racial, ethnic or national background.
Ending the HIV epidemic requires a collective effort.
The HIV epidemic, now approaching its fifth decade, has been allowed to persist for too long. The many organizations and leaders involved in the Marion County EHE Task Force and described in this EHE Plan have the ability and responsibility to act, together and now.