• A work group focused on identification of and overcoming obstacles to health care access, insurance coverage and medication coverage in the Hep B & C community.
• 2013 Training will focus on: Health Insurance expansion under the Affordable Care Act & the increasing health care access for the Uninsured.
• Meets bi-monthly.
• To join, contact: Nirah Johnson – njohnso2@health.nyc.gov or Frank Winter, CMS  -Frank.Winter@cms.hhs.gov

• Goal: To Provide support and facilite connection and collaboration amongst Patient Navigators/Care Managers city-wide.
• Will send monthly emails and meet periodically.
• To join, contact:  Adrian Lopez, HCV Patient Navigator, Mount Sinai Primary Care Hep C Program - adrian.lopez@mountsinai.org

• Providing training to Hep C Task Force members who are interested in getting involved in Hep C outreach and education at Faith Based Organizations.
• 1st Training will take place on Friday March 8th from (2-5 PM) at the NYC Dept of Health in Long Island City. To register, contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
• To join the initiative, contact: William Cuadrado, Steinway Family Services - wcuadrado@steinway.org

• Your story is powerful and can change the world.
• Come together with others living with Hep B or C to work on sharing your story to educate others, generate awareness & get involved in Advocacy.
• To join contact: Nirah Johnson – njohnso2@health.nyc.gov

Resources brought up during meeting

• Spiritually focused support groups: Friends in Deed
• National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBLCA) Hep C Initiative
• Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) for Alcohol & Substance Abuse is a billable service under Medicaid, Medicare and Commercial Insurance. NYC Department of Health will provide free training & work flow and/or Electronic Health Record integration & implementation support at your program. Contact: John R. McAteer, LCSW-R, SBIRT Health Care Systems Coordinator.
• Hep-Cap: Hep C Care & Treatment for the Uninsured. NY State Department of Health funded Hep C comprehensive care & treatment program for uninsured or under-insured Hep C mono-infected patients. Eligible patients qualify for care and treatment at no cost. For more information, contact: Jocelyn Camacho, Project Coordinator – Mount Sinai Primary Care HCV Program – Jocelyn.camacho@mountsinai.org

• Meeting Frequency: 3 - 4 times per year
• Priorities for the year: Initiatives above. Group also suggested:
  - Addressing Alcohol & Hep C (See SBIRT alcohol intervention)

• Adrian Lopez, Patient Navigator– Mount Sinai Primary Care HCV Program (Adrian.Lopez@mountsinai.org)
• Anisha Lewin, Recruitment Specialist - Bailey House Inc. -(ALewin@baileyhouse.org)
• Antonia Armstrong, Hep C Tester – Harlem United (aarmstrong@harlemunited.org)
• Archie Storms - Project Street Beat (Planned Parenthood) (Archie.Storms@PPNYC.org)
• Bethsy Morales Latino Commission on AIDS - bmorales@latinoaids.org
• Deborah Levine – National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (dlevine@nblca.org)
• Denise Egan – Orasure - (DEgan@orasure.com)
• Elaine Poulos, Outreach Coordinator Kingsbridge Heights Long Term HomCare (Ekaniaris@KBHHomecare.com)
• Erickson M. Wilson, MD - Erick.Wilson@nychhc.org
• Georgette Wallace - Health People -  c/0 ChrisNorwood@healthpeople.org
• Geraldine Joseph, RPA-C, MPH, Hepatitis Coordinator, Ryan Network & St. Lukes Roosevelt Uptown - Geraldine.Joseph@ryancenter.org
• Hadiyah Charles, Hep C Advocacy Manager Harm Reduction Coalition - hcharles@harmreduction.org
• Hadiyah Charles, Hep C Advocacy Manager Harm Reduction Coalition - hcharles@harmreduction.org
• Hakim Gladden, RN – Morris Heights Health Center (FQHC) (hgladden@mhhc.org)
• Jessie Pinchoff, PCSI Epi Scholar, NYC Health Department -jpinchoff@health.nyc.gov
• Jocelyn Camacho, Project Coordinator - Mount Sinai Primary Care HCV Program – Jocelyn.camacho@mountsinai.org
• Marie Joseph, PA - MarieClaude.Joseph@nychhc.org
• Mike Duncan, PA Citiwide Harm Reduction – AfterHours Project – Harm Reduction Coalition & VOCAL-NY - (mjsduncan@gmail.com)
• Miryah Morris - Vertex - (miryah_morris@vrtx.com)
• Nicole Bannister, MPH Candidate - NYC DOHMH (nbannister@health.nyc.gov)
• Nirah Johnson, LMSW - NYC DOHMH - njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
• Paul Bolter, BA, CASAC-T, Hepatitis C Health Educator- Paul.Bolter@nychhc.org,
• Perminder Khosa, Public Health Epidemiologist - DOHMH Communicable Diseases - (pkhosa@health.nyc.gov)
• Rasam Bland - Harlem Hospital (pd2310@columbia.edu)
• Reinaldo Daniel Diaz, MSW, CASAC-T, Outreach Specialist - www.einsteinrecovery.org - (RDiaz@dosa.aecom.yu.edu)
• Roberto Oliveras, Patient Advocate & Health Educator (Romorris2010@gmail.com)
• Sandra Mules Coalition on Positive Health Empowerment (COPE)(butterflysgraham@yahoo.com)
• Sharon Mannheimer, MD, Clinic Director – Harlem Hospital ID (sbm20@columbia.edu)
• Steve Linick - Echo Pharmacy - SLinick@Echodrx.com
• Tara Alisa Pierce – COPE -(alisapierce1@aol.com)
• Thomas Vance, Health Education Coordinator - Boriken Neighborhood Health Center (FQHC) - tvance@boriken.org
• Wilma Toribio, Research Coordinator – Mount Sinai - (Wilma.toribio@mountsinai.org)

• Sign-on! NYS Hep C Recommendations Letter to Governor Cuomo. Letter written by NYC & NYS Hep C Advocates.
• Save Local Specialty Pharmacy. Today, you can still access HCV specialty medications from your local neighborhood pharmacy but – THIS RIGHT IS AT RISK of being taken away!
• Evaluate the NYC Hep C Task Forces: click here.

• New York State Hepatitis C Legislative Awareness Day. March 13, Albany. Transportation will be provided. Join.
• Staten Island Hep B & C Task Force Meeting. March 5th (9:30 - 11:30 AM). CHASI: 25 Victory Blvd. RSVP.
• NYC Hepatitis B Coalition Meeting. March 6th (2:30 - 5 PM). American Cancer Society: 132 West 32nd Street. RSVP.
• Bronx Hep C Task Force Meeting. March 27th (2:30 - 5 PM). Lincoln Medical Center - 1st floor conference center. RSVP.
• Ongoing: NYC Hep B & C Patient Support Groups
• Latest Breaking Upcoming Events on our Community Calendar