NJ HIV and UMDNJ

In November, 2003 the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Pathology  & Laboratory Medicine was first awarded a grant under the auspices of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services - Division of HIV/AIDS Services to establish clinical laboratory licensure and oversight for HIV rapid testing support at multiple sites throughout New Jersey. 

This website serves as the information conduit to allow us to provide critical information to these sites. 

COLLABORATION ANNOUNCED

We are pleased to share with you an exciting new collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of HIV/AIDS Services (DHAS) and GREATER THAN AIDS, a new national mobilization effort launched last year.  The Kaiser Family Foundation – a leader in health communications – provides strategic direction and day to day management as well as oversees the production of the media campaign.  The Black AIDS Institute is a founding partner, providing leadership and technical assistance.

The primary message is about the power of individuals acting together to achieve a greater goal – in this case, reducing the spread of HIV.  By stressing unit, hope and empowerment, GREATER THAN AIDS seeks to inspire each and every one of us – in our relationships, families, and communities – to do our part to stem HIV/AIDS.

 The first-phase of this national campaign – including outdoor, radio, print and online public service ads-debuted last fall and included outdoor and radio advertising in New Jersey.  The second-phase will launch in conjunction with National HIV Testing Day in June 2010.  Beginning late summer, GREATER THAN AIDS outdoor ads in New Jersey (including billboards and transit shelters) will be tagged with the state’s AIDS hotline (1-800-624-2377) to help connect our citizens with local services and resources.

 We encourage you to post the GREATER THAN AIDS campaign’s banner ads on your organization’s website:  www.greaterthanaids.org/banners

NJ HIV PROGRAM 

 FIRST PLACE WINNER

ASTHO 2006 Vision Awards

The  Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Vision Awards are presented each year to honor outstanding state health department programs and initiatives. The awards signify peer recognition of creative state health programs.

 Sites With Rapid-Rapid Testing Available

WHAT IS RAPID-RAPID HIV TESTING?

Rapid HIV testing utilizes a single rapid testing device in order to determine whether individual is likely to have become infected with HIV.

Current regulations require that an additional confirmatory test, a western blot, an IFA or a nucleic amplification test be conducted in order to diagnose an individual as infected with HIV.

Some sites in New Jersey utilize a second, independent rapid HIV test to verify the initial rapid HIV result.  An individual who is positive on both rapid HIV tests has less than a .8% probability of not being infected.

At many Counseling and Testing Sites in New Jersey two positive, but different rapid tests are sufficient to link an individual immediately into the healthcare system so that they can  meet with a healthcare provider and begin formulating a plan to address their infection.

 

HIV COST AND REIMBURSEMENT

HRET, the Hospital, Research and Education Trust  has developed a free online toolkit for cost and reimbursement issues surrounding HIV testing and screening that is available at
www.hret.org/hiv-cost. The package includes a downloadable calculator to assist hospitals, clinics and physicians in understanding the cost of HIV
testing programs and maximizing reimbursement. The resource was developed in partnership with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Please remember that charging for HIV tests provided to a facility by the Division of HIV/AIDS IS NOT permitted!

WHAT IS RAPID HIV TESTING?

A rapid test for detecting antibody to HIV is a screening test that produces results in 5 to 30 minutes. Unlike conventional HIV testing that utilizes a procedure known as an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), rapid HIV testing is simpler, but has about equal sensitivity and specificity in detecting the presence of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type I or II. As with with traditional testing, a more specific confirmatory test must also be positive before concluding that an HIV infection exists.

Even though it is simpler, in New Jersey clinical laboratory licensure is required to conduct rapid HIV testing.

Our laboratory activities have been continuously accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) since their  inception in 1985.

 

NJ HIV PROCEDURES
 &
 FORMS

Rapid HIV procedures, forms and policies are available for your use. 

We invite you to review, copy, print and use our latest procedures, forms and policies! See POCT Forms

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Important: Health Departments (HDs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide HIV counseling, testing, and referral (CTR) services are required to collect data about their HIV prevention activities. Beginning February 1, 2008 NJ Division of HIV/AIDS (DHAS)-funded CBOs and HDs are to utilize the new PEMS form which has been in development by the CDC for some time.

RECENT MEETING:

Annual Coordinators Meeting 4-20-11 - DHSTS Presentations

SAGE Presentation - April2011\

Annual Coordinators Meeting 4-20-11 - NJ HIV Rapid Support Group

NJ Department of Health & Senior Services Health Bulletins: January, 2008

Routine Screening for HIV Infection - E. Bresnitz, M.D., M.S.

REFERENCES:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Revised Recommendations For HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings.  MMWR 2006:55(RR14):1-1.  Available at:

      http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5514.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   Rapid HIV Antibody Testing During Labor and Delivery for Women of Unknown HIV Status:  A Practical Guide and Model. 2004

  http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/Labor&DeliveryRapidTesting.pdf

 

 

 

 

Division of HIV/AIDS
February 6, 2008

The link below provides a PDF copy of the Manual supplied by the CDC for use with the new HIV Testing Form (released November 2007).

 PEMS FORM MANUAL

The link below provides a PDF copy of the provider letter sent by Carmine Grasso, M.P.H., M.S.W., the Director of Care & Treatment Services - NJ DHAS to all NJ DHAS-funded HD and CBO providers. The letter includes a Quick Reference Guide for proper form completion and contact information to obtain a supply of PEMS forms and the unqiue agency and site numbers necessary to complete the  the three part test form

DHAS PROVIDER LETTER

Division of HIV/AIDS (DHAS) is now:

DHSTS
 

PRESENTATIONS
NJ  HIV DHAS Annual Coordinator Meeting 3-05-10 Presenter: Eugene G. Martin, Ph.D. 

DHAS Presentation Annual Coordinator Meeting 3-05-10
Presenter: Maureen Wolski

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