[Federal Register: June 2, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 106)]
[Notices]
[Page 31121-31122]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02jn04-58]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Partners Invited To Participate in the National HIV Testing Day
Initiative
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human
Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks to
partner with other public and private sector organizations to support a
Federal initiative to promote greater testing for HIV. This initiative
will support and promote National HIV Testing Day, which will be held
on June 27, 2004. HHS, in coordination with the National Association of
People With AIDS, is planning events in various cities across the
United States to support National HIV Testing Day. The goal of these
events is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in at-risk communities,
promote early detection and assist HIV-positive individuals to obtain
treatment. The National HIV Testing Day Partnership initiative is not a
grant or contract award program, and each partner will be responsible
for supporting its own activities. Working together, it is intended
that these partnerships will provide innovative opportunities to
promote greater testing for HIV and to help HIV-positive individuals to
obtain treatment.
DATES: Comments expressing or affirming an interest in activities of
the National HIV Testing Day Partnership will be most useful if
received as soon as possible or by June 10.
ADDRESSES: Expressions of interest, comments and questions may be sent
to the following e-mail address, MGomez@OSOPHS.DHHS.GOV or by FAX to:
Miguel Gomez, Office of Public Health and Science, the Office of the
Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at 202-690-
7560.
Representatives of interested organizations also may call the
following information line: 202-690-5560. Callers will be directed to
appropriate agency officials for further discussions.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HHS is the United States government's
principal agency for promoting and protecting the health of all
Americans. HHS manages many programs, covering a broad spectrum of
health promotion and disease prevention services and activities.
Leaders in the business community, State and local government
officials, tribes and tribal entities and charitable, faith-based, and
community organizations have expressed interest in partnering with the
Department to promote healthy choices and behaviors. HHS welcomes this
interest. With this notice, HHS outlines opportunities for these and
other entities to partner with HHS in order to assist in developing
activities that will promote and support the June 27 National HIV
Testing Day. These activities will be carried out consistent with HHS's
broad statutory authorities found in Title XVII of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act and other HHS program statutes. In general, section
1704 of the PHS Act, among other authorized activities, provides
authority for the Secretary to conduct activities to make information
respecting health or health promotion, preventative health services,
and health education available to the public, and to encourage others
to support such activities.
Presently, 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide,
with approximately 950,000 cases in the U.S. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) is concerned that the estimated one-
quarter (180,00-280,000) of the persons living with HIV who are unaware
of their status are not receiving life-saving treatment and may
unknowingly transmit HIV to others. CDC estimates approximately 40,000
new individuals become infected with HIV cases annually. Data suggest
that 40 percent of new infections are transmitted by those who do not
yet know they are infected. Approximately 20 million HIV tests are
performed annually at all testing sites, including more than two
million tests administered at publicly-funded HIV counseling and
testing sites.
In April of 2003, the CDC announced a new initiative, Advancing HIV
Prevention (AHP): New Strategies for a Changing Epidemic, focusing on
reducing barriers to diagnosis of HIV infection and access, to and use
of, quality medical care, treatment, and ongoing prevention services
for persons with HIV. AHP maintains target services to high-risk
groups.
The National HIV Testing Day Partnership initiative will encourage
all U.S. communities to participate in Testing Day events and is likely
to include events in a number of cities. Cities under consideration are
Atlanta, GA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Kansas City, MO; New York, NY;
Orlando, FL; San Antonio, TX; and Los Angeles, CA. HHS officials are
considering participating in a wide range of local events that will
support HIV testing in these six cities. HHS will encourage its
grantees and others to support Testing Day events around the U.S.
In addition, HHS would like to support and promote this important
Testing Day with a more widespread and comprehensive public education
campaign. This initiative can only be successful through a public/
private partnership to support such a large-scale nationwide event to
support and promote the National HIV National Testing Day.
Consequently, the involvement of both public and private organizations
is necessary. For efforts of this magnitude, the Department
periodically invites outside organizations to join in carrying out
activities of mutual interest to achieve shared objectives. These
partnerships are voluntary. The parties work together to carry out
their respective, consistent missions for the common good.
In order to implement activities that will support and promote the
National HIV Testing Day, HHS is interested in establishing
partnerships with private corporations and other entities, including
charitable, faith-based, and community organizations, as well as with
State and local governments, that can help extend the initiative's
reach. In accordance with each entity's particular strengths and
abilities, partnerships will be established. Note that each partner
must participate substantively in the initiative and be responsible for
providing the resources necessary to carry out its specified activities
of mutual interest.
As partners with HHS, both public and private sector organizations
can bring to this initiative their respective ideas and expertise,
administrative capabilities, and production and material resources,
that are consistent with the goals of the National HIV Testing Day
Partnership initiative. For example:
(a) Share in the distribution of educational health information to
the public regarding the promotion of HIV prevention activities; and
the availability of HIV counseling and testing; and
(b) Participate in the development of a public education campaign
to
[[Page 31122]]
highlight June 27 as the National HIV Testing Day and to promote the
importance of HIV testing by using local or national media
participation.
Partnership agreements will make clear that there will be no
Federal endorsement of the products or services of particular companies
and organizations. HHS will have a right to review the use of
Department logos and statements related to partnership activities on
such materials and products to ensure that they are suitable for the
initiative and that government neutrality with respect to such products
and services is maintained. National HIV Testing Day is a registered
trademark of the National Association of People with AIDS.
Evaluation Criteria
After engaging in exploratory discussions of potential partnerships
and partnership activities with respondents, HHS will use the following
considerations, as appropriate and relevant, to determine whether HHS
will engage in partnership activities with particular entities and the
scope of those activities.
1. Are the activities proposed by the offering entity likely to
provide a substantial public health benefit, consistent with HHS goals
and its initiative to promote greater testing for HIV, spotlighting the
June 27 National HIV Testing Day?
2. Does the proposed partnership's potential for public health
benefit outweigh any potential negative impact on the agency and its
ability to accomplish its missions? What adjustments if any, would make
the proposal acceptable?
3. Is there an identifiable and appropriate role for HHS and the
potential partner?
4. Does the outside entity have the expertise and capacity to carry
out its proposed activities?
5. Has the outside entity demonstrated a willingness to work
collaboratively with other public and private sector organizations to
achieve national awareness of the importance of HIV testing?
Given the National HIV Testing Day Partnership initiative's
objectives, entities which have similar goals and consistent interests,
appropriate expertise and resources, and would like to pursue
activities that will support and promote the National HIV Testing Day
within their own organizations, or on a broader scale, in collaboration
with the Department, are encouraged to reply to this notice. Working
together, it is intended that these partnerships will provide
innovative opportunities to promote greater HIV testing.
Dated: May 25, 2004.
Christopher A. Bates,
Acting Director, Office of HIV/AIDS Policy.
[FR Doc. 04-12243 Filed 6-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-28-P