Author: DDP PR Coordinator

DDP E-Bulletin: August 2026

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House of Delegates Passes Resolution Celebrating the Life of Romayne “Beth” Marschak

The House of Delegates passed a resolution during the Special Session I of 2026.  The resolution celebrates Beth’s life and acknowledges her contributions to the Richmond community and work in HIV prevention. 

Beth at an employee event in the spring of 2026

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Compass Dashboard

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Compass Dashboard was released in July 2026. The Dashboard includes data from the most recent five-year period (2020 – 2024) for the RWHAP Services Report (RSR) and 2019-2023 for the ADAP Data Report (ADR). Moving forward, the Dashboard will be updated annually. There is a Quick Start Guide, FAQs, and Viral Suppression Fact Sheet available on the Dashboard homepage to assist with utilization.

 

Ryan White Quarterly QMAC Meeting

The Ryan White Program will be hosting one of their quarterly QMAC (Quality Management Advisory Committee) Meetings on August 19 at 9 a.m. ET. The meeting will be virtual only.

QMAC meetings share best practices related to Virginia Ryan White quality improvement activities and discuss strategies to improve the QMAC infrastructure.

For more information on QMAC or for questions about the meeting, please contact Camellia Espinal at c.espinal@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

Personnel Announcements

Welcome

The Division is excited to welcome Nan Haugan back. Nan is re-joining DDP as the HIV & Hepatitis Surveillance (HHS) Unit Director on August 25. Nan has been with VDH since 2014 and held several roles in OEpi during that time. Nan’s DDP experience includes STD Epi & Surveillance Coordinator, STD Epi & Surveillance manager, and HIV Data Analyst. Most recently, she served as the Applied Epi and Health Information Manager in the Division of Surveillance and Investigation (DSI). Nan can be reached at nan.haugan@vdh.virginia.gov.

Moses Harris returned to DDP as an Epidemiology Specialist for the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), effective August 10th. Moses previously worked on MMP as an Epidemiology specialist from 2024-2025. Moses comes to us from the Office of Drinking Water, where he worked as a Senior Environmental Health Specialist. He also brings previous experience working at the LGBT Life Center as a Prevention Specialist. We are very excited to have him back with DDP and MMP! Moses can be reached at moses.harris@vdh.virginia.gov.

Virginia Department of Health and Gilead Settlement

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Virginia Department of Health and Gilead Settlement

VDH remains committed to the health, dignity and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS in Virginia. 

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and Gilead Sciences, Inc. have reached a settlement agreement to resolve an approximately $16.8 million overpayment to the Virginia Medication Assistance Program (VA MAP) for AIDS Drug Assistance (ADAP) rebates under the Ryan White Part B Program. Gilead is a biopharmaceutical company that manufactures antiviral drugs used to treat HIV.

VDH and Gilead determined that the overpayment resulted from a data mismatch involving ineligible rebate claims submitted between the second quarter of 2021 and the second quarter of 2023. In 2022, VA MAP transitioned to a new vendor and began submitting data to Gilead using a new nomenclature for identifying ineligible rebate claims. That nomenclature was not compatible with Gilead’s data format specifications, resulting in rebate overpayments. Through good faith discussions, VDH and Gilead agreed on the amount of overpayments, resolved the technical issues that caused it, and implemented measures to prevent similar instances in the future. VDH also is strengthening its quality assurance and quality improvement processes for program administration.

Under the settlement, VDH will reimburse Gilead through deductions from future rebates owed to VDH. No additional funding sources will be used for repayment. Importantly, VDH and Gilead structured the repayment terms to support the continued operation of the Ryan White Part B Program.

The reduced rebate revenue for the Ryan White Part B program necessitated cuts to the program including service providers, reductions or elimination of some services and programs, and staff reductions. Despite these challenges, VDH remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the health, dignity and well-being of Virginians living with HIV. VDH has prioritized core medical services to ensure that eligible Virginians continue to have access to essential HIV care and medications. Patients remain covered and are receiving medications.

VDH is working closely with health care providers, community organizations and HIV advocates to strengthen and build a more resilient statewide infrastructure for Ryan White and HIV services. The department also is pursuing additional funding opportunities, including federal grants, to help sustain these critical services.

In addition, the General Assembly included more than $13 million over the next two fiscal years to help address the program’s funding gap and support continued access to HIV care for Virginians.

DDP E-bulletin: July 2026

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New Medication Added to VA MAP Formulary

The Virginia Medication Assistance Program (VA MAP) has added Sunlenca (lenacapavir) to the formulary. Sunlenca is a first-in-class capsid inhibitor developed for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in heavily treatment-experienced adults. This is a long-acting injectable therapy administered subcutaneously every six months and designed to be used in combination with other antiretroviral(s) to form a complete antiretroviral treatment plan. This medication offers a critical option for individuals with multidrug resistant HIV-1, experiencing treatment failure due to viral resistance, intolerance, or safety concerns.

The required approval form with eligibility criteria and process steps is located on the VA MAP website. Contact the HCS Clinical Coordinator (Jasmine Ford), the VA MAP Call Center, or Ramsell Corporation for questions regarding the Sunlenca approval form.

Virginia Community HIV Planning Group Seeks New Members!

CPG LogoThe Virginia Community HIV Planning Group (CHPG) needs new members. The CHPG works with the Virginia Department of Health to develop and monitor Virginia’s Integrated HIV Services Plan to help end the HIV epidemic and improve the health of people with HIV. The Plan will guide our work over the next five years.

We are looking for members among people with HIV, people vulnerable to HIV, HIV care and prevention providers, and health departments. We also need people from agencies that provide mental health and substance use treatment, housing, social services, and other services used or needed by the people we serve. We are especially looking for people from communities of color, people from the Northern and Central regions of Virginia, as well as men and those who fall outside of the gender binary. At least 30% of the CHPG are people with HIV. Community voices are key, so the group does have attendance rules.

The CHPG meets six times per year on Thursdays or Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm in Richmond. Members who live outside of the meeting area will receive a hotel room and will be reimbursed for travel costs and meals. Lunch will be served.

For more information or to read the group bylaws, please go to the CHPG webpage.

The application does ask personal and sensitive questions so we can select a diverse group of members. We keep applications in a secure system, and they are only seen by the Membership Committee and certain VDH staff.

If you have any questions, please contact: Ashley Yocum, Care Services Planner, at ashley.yocum@vdh.virginia.gov, or Olivia Allison, Program Specialist, at olivia.allison@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

FDA Approves New OTC Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdose

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another over the counter (OTC) intranasal naloxone product on June 16, 2026. This new product, Rextovy, is a 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. It is intended for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose. Consumers can purchase the product without a prescription in pharmacies, convenience stores, and online.

 

ASTHO Blog: Improving Public Health Communication for Effective STI Programs

Posted July 8, 2026, by Julia Greenspan, Director, Infectious Disease Infrastructure and Policy on astho.org

In spring 2026, ASTHO completed a needs assessment to better understand the strengths, gaps, and opportunities for communication about sexually transmitted infections (STI) from state and territorial health departments. Results highlight the important role that health department leadership plays in ensuring the success of STI and other public health programs through internal communication policies and culture.

 

World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is July 28. VDH has created a series of graphics designed to be used as a carousel on social media. The graphics discuss the ABCs of Hepatitis and discuss the basics of hepatitis A, B, and C. At the end of the carousel of images, the call to action promotes going to the VDH viral hepatitis page to learn more or to find a location for viral hepatitis testing and vaccination. The graphics are also available in Spanish.

You can find share the posts directly from the VDH social media accounts or download them from the VDH Newsroom Toolkits should you wish to create your own posts.

For questions or help with any World Hepatitis Day messaging, contact Chris Barnett, Public Relations Coordinator, at christopher.barnett@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

Personnel Announcements

Welcome

STD Prevention and Surveillance (SPS) is pleased to welcome Nikki Taylor as the newest member of the DIS team! Nikki will be covering the Central Virginia Health District. She joins VDH with a background in operations, human services, HIV care, community health, and program coordination. Her work has focused on delivering client-centered services, strengthening community impact, and improving public health outcomes. Nikki currently serves as a board member for the Coalition for Health, Advocacy, and Prevention (CHAP), where she advocates for education, prevention, and equitable access to care. She also enjoys volunteering throughout her community, reflecting her commitment to serving others both professionally and personally. Nikki is excited to be part of VDH. She can be reached at frances.taylor@vdh.virginia.gov.

Farewell

SPS bids a thankful farewell to Kayla Scott as she concludes her time with the Division of Disease Prevention. During her time with DDP, Kayla worked diligently to ensure the testing, treatment, and linkage to care of DIS patients primarily for the Portsmouth Health District. She consistently supported her colleagues by assisting with coverage across several health districts, including Richmond-Henrico, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Mount Rogers, and Crater Health District, among others. In addition to her fieldwork, Kayla played an important role in strengthening community partnerships with the Virginia Department of Health by assisting in the training of community-based organizations on the DIS Partner Services interview process. Kayla's last day with VDH was June 29, 2026. We are sincerely grateful for her dedication, professionalism, and the many contributions she made throughout her time with DDP.

While her position is being recruited, please contact Jasmine Taylor at jasmine.taylor@vdh.virginia.gov with any questions.

DDP E-bulletin: June 2026

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Honoring Beth Marschak

Most of our partners have now heard the sad news that our colleague and friend, Beth Marschak, passed away suddenly on June 3. A tribute to her legacy is located on our Facebook and on our website. Her absence is deeply and profoundly felt.

In honor of her work starting and building the VDH Condom Distribution Program from the ground up, we are renaming the program, “The Beth Marschak Condom Program.” We will continue to honor Beth’s work and contributions to the communities of Virginia and the legacy she leaves behind each day.

Bicillin Restrictions for Local Health Departments

Benzathine penicillin G (Bicillin L-A®) is currently the only recommended treatment for syphilis during pregnancy. There is an ongoing shortage of this medicine in the United States. In the United States, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‑approved product is made by King Pharmaceuticals (a Pfizer company). This medication is still in shortage. In April 2026, Pfizer announced that the next shipment of both 1.2 million‑unit and 2.4 million‑unit prefilled syringes is scheduled for October 2026. They expect the full supply to be restored by Quarter 4 of 2027. This new timeline is one year later than what was first expected. The FDA website will continue to share updates.

The FDA is allowing the temporary importation of Lentocilin© due to the ongoing limited availability and extended recovery of Bicillin® L-A. The National Network of STD Prevention Training Centers has posted information for health care providers on the administration of Lentocilin©.

Until recently, health departments in Virginia had enough supply of Bicillin L-A® to treat all patients referred to their clinics. However, the shortage has lasted long enough that restrictions are now needed. As of May 31, 2026, health department clinics are using Bicillin L‑A® only for the following patients:

    • Pregnant women of any age
    • Women of reproductive age (15-44), regardless of pregnancy status, who are infected with or exposed to syphilis
    • Partners of pregnant women infected with syphilis
    • Patients for whom there is a contraindication to alternative treatment regimens such as doxycycline, or who are highly unlikely to comply with an oral treatment regimen, are prioritized on a case-by-case basis, and as supply allows

Please continue to follow the syphilis alternative treatment guidance described in the clinician letter dated June 24, 2025. Should you need to treat a pregnant patient, infant or person allergic to doxycycline, VDH has Bicillin® L-A doses available through the Bicillin® L-A delivery program.

 

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day is June 27. DDP will have a blog for the observance on the DDP homepage and several social media posts going out on the Disease Prevention Hotline Facebook. Feel free to share our blog and posts on your accounts.

For resources and/or help planning events, visit:

 

Personnel Announcements

Welcome

Debbie Guilbault joined DDP as the HIV Care Services Unit Director on June 25. Debbie left the Kansas Department of Health (DOH), where she served as the STI/HIV/Hepatitis Care, Prevention & Surveillance Section Chief since 2019. Prior to her work at the Kansas DOH, Debbie was the Executive Director of Positive Connections (formerly the Topeka AIDS Project) for 15 years. Debbie is actively engaged with NASTAD and currently serves as a board member. Welcome, Debbie!

DDP welcomed Erik Jarvis back to DDP as the MMP (Medical Monitoring Project) Coordinator- on June 10. He returned to DDP from the Division of Immunization within the Office of Epidemiology (OEpi), where he was the Vaccine Quality Assurance Consultant. Erik previously worked in MMP as the Project Coordinator and as an Epidemiology Specialist from 2018 to 2025. In addition, he has work experience as a Lead Disease Intervention Specialist. Erik can be reached at erik.jarvis@vdh.virginia.gov.

The Division is also excited to welcome Nan Haugan back. Nan will re-join DDP as the HIV & Hepatitis Surveillance (HHS) Unit Director on August 25 when she returns from parental leave. Nan has been with VDH since 2014 and held several roles in OEpi during that time. Nan’s DDP experience includes STD Epi & Surveillance Coordinator, STD Epi & Surveillance manager, and HIV Data Analyst. Most recently, she served as the Applied Epi and Health Information Manager in the Division of Surveillance and Investigation (DSI). Jenny Kienzle will continue to provide unit Director coverage for HHS in the interim.

National HIV Testing Day 2026

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National HIV Testing Day is June 27th each year. On this day we highlight the importance of routine HIV testing. Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should get tested at least once. Some people should get tested on a routine basis – this can be dependent on factors such as:

    • If you are having sex without using condoms
    • If you are having sex with multiple partners
    • If you are sharing needles or syringes with others
    • If you are part of a group of people that is more impacted by HIV than other groups, including:
      • Men who have sex with men
      • Black/African Americans
      • Hispanic/Latinos
      • Transgender individuals
    • If you have had a sexually transmitted infection (STI), as STIs can increase your risk for HIV. Some common STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
    • If you use drugs or alcohol

Why is HIV testing important?

Regardless of what your status is, knowing your status allows you to make important decisions about your health so you can remain healthy. If you test negative, there are steps you can take to ensure you remain HIV-negative such as PrEP. If you test HIV-positive, there are safe and effective treatments that allow you to live a long and healthy life. However, it is important that you start and remain on this treatment, per your doctor’s instructions. Not taking HIV treatment if you are HIV-positive can negatively impact your immune system and open you up to other serious and life-threatening infections.

Testing availability

HIV testing is available in many locations throughout Virginia at low or no cost.

Local Health Departments

Local health departments offer HIV testing in their sexual health clinics on a sliding fee scale basis. For more information, find your local health department and call for more information.

Community Based Organizations/Health Clinics

VDH and other federal programs fund many community organizations and health clinics throughout Virginia to provide HIV testing. Most of these clinics provide testing free of charge. The type of testing available at community organizations and clinics can vary – sometimes they offer rapid testing with results available the same day.

Find an organization or clinic near you to learn about the testing they offer, see if walk-in testing is available, or if you need to make an appointment.

HIV Self-Test Kits

You can even test yourself in your own private space! VDH offers FREE HIV self-test kits. Just complete a survey, and a kit will be mailed to you in discreet packaging. The testing is simple to perform, and the manufacturer has a 24/7 hotline you can call if you have questions or concerns before, during, and after the testing process.

Interested in having a free HIV self-test kit mailed to you? Check out the survey.

Need more help?

To learn more about HIV testing, or other STI testing, visit the VDH testing webpage.

If you have questions or need help finding a location that offers testing, call our hotline. The hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. The hotline is closed on Virginia state holidays. Call toll-free, 1-800-533-4148.

Learn or "re-up" your HIV status this National HIV Testing Day. Take the steps you need to care for your health!

Tribute: Romayne “Beth” Marschak

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Romayne “Beth” Marschak passed away suddenly on June 3, 2026.  Beth worked with VDH and the Division of Disease Prevention (DDP) for over two decades.  She joined VDH as a Hotline Counselor and then transitioned to a Contract Administrator several years later.  Not only was Beth devoted to civil service through her work, but she had also been extremely involved in community, civil rights, and human rights activism in Richmond throughout much of her life.  She was a pillar in the LGBTQ+ community, making connections through her activism work.   

The connections that Beth made through her personal means made her incredibly adept at her work at VDH.  She understood the vulnerable communities that partner agencies worked with and, when needed, offered advice to those agencies when they ran into difficulty implementing their programs.  After all, Beth had been a part of these communities and working with them through her advocacy since the 1970s.  Beth would run the quarterly contractor meetings and interact with all DDP partner agencies, even those that she was not working with as their assigned contract monitor.  Beth oversaw the free condom program for most of her career at VDH and helped brainstorm and exchange ideas between agencies.  This helped turn the program from a small idea into one that currently distributes over half a million free condoms each year to the community through local health departments and partner agencies.  She was a historian full of knowledge of both the struggles of the communities we serve and the AIDS epidemic in Richmond.  She was often called upon to share her experiences with the agency for special events such as World AIDS Day. 

Beth was a steady and compassionate presence in our office, consistently offering support, thoughtful guidance, and a listening ear to her colleagues. She demonstrated deep commitment to her coworkers, the agencies she partnered with, and the communities we serve. Her absence is felt profoundly. We are grateful for her many contributions to public health and for the advocacy she carried throughout her career. Her impact endures, and she will be greatly missed. Thank you, Beth, for all you’ve given to the community through your work and advocacy. Rest in power. 

We extend our condolences to Beth’s family, friends, and loved ones.  

DDP E-bulletin: May 2026

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Upcoming MidAtlantic AETC Events

Full MAAETC Staff, March 2026

The MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) has plenty of training and education opportunities coming up for new public health staff and those who could use a refresher. Many important trainings related to HIV prevention and Ryan White are scheduled in May and June; don’t miss the chance to get the “facts and fundamentals” skills under your belt! Some crucial opportunities include:

Find the full offering of in-person training programs and online on-demand opportunities available on the MidAtlantic AETC website.  

Ryan White Launches New Webpages

The Ryan White team launched new webpages this month, replacing their previous pages. The pages no longer refer to HIV Care Services, using the unit program names instead.

You will find the pages located differently on our website navigation. Some of the old pages no longer exist. We suggest familiarizing yourself with the new pages and where information is located on the pages. Bookmark any new pages that you may need to use frequently.

Thank you to the staff who worked hard on this project! We appreciate you meeting with staff and community members to get feedback on how best to rework these web pages.

 

Hepatitis Awareness Month: Thank You!

Hepatitis Awareness Month comes to a close this weekend. Thank you to all our partners who have been busy in the field doing testing, outreach, and other services to communities in need. One testing event put on by the Health Betterment Initiative and the Mongolian Nurses Association was highlighted by the agency.

A huge thank you to those who shared personal stories with us for our social media campaign this month. We had four amazing people share what going through hepatitis C treatment was like. Check their stories out on our website or our Facebook.

You all accomplish life-saving work every day. This Hepatitis Awareness Month, the importance of your work was seen by many. Thank you again for all that you do every day.

 

Learning Opportunity: SNS Webinar

The San Francisco Department of Public Health is offering webinars for Social Network Strategy (SNS). SNS is an evidence-based intervention that harnesses the power of trusted peers to increase HIV testing uptake among communities most at risk. SNS is designed for health departments and community-based organizations.

VDH-funded partners should talk with their contract administrator before registering for the webinars, especially if they plan to implement SNS for the first time.

    • Webinar for agencies new to SNS:
      • Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | 3 p.m. ET

 

May 2026 QMAC Meeting Overview

The Virginia Ryan White Cross-Parts Collaborative Quality Management Advisory Committee (QMAC) held its first quarterly meeting of grant year (GY) 2026 on May 13, 2026, bringing together QMAC members, VDH staff, Cross-Parts Collaborative partners, consumers, and subcommittee participants to support and strengthen statewide quality improvement efforts. The meeting featured program updates, quarterly performance measure data reviews, subcommittee workplan development, and stakeholder engagement activities focused on practical strategies to enhance HIV care services across Virginia.

Highlights included updates from recipients of other Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded Parts in Virginia through the Cross-Parts Collaborative, as well as VDH presentations on funded service category performance measures and Unified Eligibility data. Participants also received a “You Said, We Did” presentation demonstrating how clinical quality management (CQM) feedback has informed improvements in training, technical assistance, onboarding, communication, and data support.

In addition, members participated in a virtual Red Ribbon Activity as part of the integrated planning process, providing feedback on priorities for Virginia’s 2027–2031 Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Services Plan. Input gathered during the activity will help inform the continued development of the plan’s goals and objectives.

Overall, 55 participants actively attended the meeting, reinforcing QMAC’s role as a key component of the CQM infrastructure and as a collaborative forum for data-informed planning, consumer and provider engagement, and continuous quality improvement across Virginia’s Ryan White system of care.

For questions about the Virginia Ryan White QMAC, please contact either Camellia Espinal at camellia.espinal@vdh.virginia.gov, or Lynea Hogan at lynea.hogan@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

VCU CIRCAA Program

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) secured funding for three full scholarships for their VCU CIRCAA program.  CIRCAA stands for Creating Interprofessional Readiness for Complex & Aging Adults (CIRCAA).

The program focuses on HIV and Aging for the next academic year. This will be the third cohort to go through the program. Thus far, agencies that have participated in the program include staff from:

    • VCU
    • Three Rivers Health District
    • Fredericksburg Area HIV/AIDS Support Services
    • AIDS Response Effort
    • Virginia Health Options
    • Council of Community Services

The program is a 9-month, post-BACC certificate program. It’s open to prescribers, nurses, and case managers. The scholarship applications are due June 22, 2026. Full Ryan White-specific details and the application can be found via REDCap survey.

 

Personnel Announcements

Welcome

HIV and Hepatitis Surveillance (HHS) welcomes Dzhuliyana Handarova (pronounced Juliana) to DDP! Many of you may recognize her name, as she was previously a Syphilis Reactor Desk Coordinator in DDP from 2019-2021. Most recently, she was with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) as a public health research analyst and has also worked in research at Thomas Jefferson University and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dzhuliyana has her Master of Public Health from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Commonwealth University. She will be working as an HIV Prevention Analyst and will be working closely with the CHR, SNSN, and PrEP teams. In her free time, she loves to be outside, especially riding her bike and spending time with her cat Meatball. She can be reached at dzhuliyana.handarova@vdh.virginia.gov. Welcome back to the team Dzhuliyana!

Thomas’ Personal Story

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My name is Thomas, and I was cured of hepatitis C. Here’s my story:

It’s been almost 30 years since I was diagnosed with both HIV and hepatitis C. At that time, I was using substances and participating in intravenous (IV) drugs. That didn’t last long, so I didn’t think much about it, but when I was diagnosed it was such a shock. I spiraled out of control and started using again. I eventually got control and saw a specialist for treatment. The Interferon and other meds I started were overwhelming. I was working full-time and I remember one time I went to work, and it was so cold and I was so exhausted. I just hid away and curled up because I just couldn’t deal with everything I was feeling. I went back to my doctor and said, “I can’t do this anymore.” My doctor told me I should go out on disability. I did go out on disability and moved in with my mom in Virginia.

That is when my life started to change for the better, when I started to become an advocate. Once I settled in Virginia, I became an HIV advocate and talked about the importance of HIV care. I wasn’t ready to advocate around hepatitis C because of the stigma associated with my drug use – I wasn’t there yet. In 2008, I got sick again and had to be admitted to the hospital. I never finished the Interferon because of the negative side effects. I had assumed that I still had hepatitis C, and it was getting worse. I started using drugs again and fell back into a dark place. This lasted for about a year. Eventually, my doctor told me that they were doing a clinical trial of new hepatitis C drugs. I flat out refused, afraid that I would have side effects like the last time. She assured me I would not get sick from this new medicine and that there would be little to no side effects. I started the trial, and after the lab tests came back, I found out that my initial treatment for hepatitis C had cured me. I had re-infected myself with hepatitis C. That felt like a slap in the face, but it was also a wake-up call for me. I realized that I needed to take better care of myself. I didn’t want things like this to continue to happen to me. I wanted to be a “normal” person. I wanted to be able to go out and work every day and not be ashamed and have all this stuff in my life causing so much chaos. At that point in my life, I decided, “No more! I’m stopping with the drug use.”

That is when I also started advocating for hepatitis C, too. I didn’t realize before how easy it was to get re-infected. I had never thought about it before it happened to me. All of this happening to me in a rural area, I also experienced stigma just attempting to talk to doctors. It was sort of like they thought if you used drugs, you were a dirty drug addict, and you were a bad person. If you even talked about hepatitis C, that was the response. It was really hard to get over that and go in with questions and talk about what was going on with me. But now, because of what happened to me, I’m not only helping myself but others who are walking in similar shoes that I walked in with addiction and hepatitis C. I started volunteering and doing work with the Ryan White Program. Everything really just came together for me. I’m now doing HIV, hepatitis C, and syphilis testing in the community. I’m navigating people through the process that I went through to get the treatment that they need.

Depression really played a big part in my story. It was one of the hardest things I had to deal with and having support can make such a difference. Because in the past someone showed me support, I started taking better care of myself. I started dreaming again and thinking about the future and what that might look like. Now I’m in the position to be that helping hand for others. It’s amazing, it’s empowering, and sometimes I can’t believe I’m where I am now.

Megan’s Personal Story

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My name is Megan, and I was cured of hepatitis C.  Here is my story:

I am a person in long-term recovery, a Program Manager at Strength In Peers, and a passionate advocate for harm reduction and equitable healthcare. My work is deeply rooted in lived experience, shaped not only by substance use, but by surviving a system that too often withholds care from those who need it most.

As a teenager, I began using substances and was introduced to intravenous drug use at a time when harm reduction resources were not available in my community. Without access to syringe exchange programs or education on bloodborne illnesses, sharing syringes became normalized, paired with the false hope that cleaning them with bleach would be enough to keep me safe.

In 2017, while pregnant with my youngest son, I was diagnosed with hepatitis C. At the time, I was still actively using substances and had little understanding of what the diagnosis meant. What followed was not just a medical condition, but an emotional weight—fear, shame, and silence fueled by stigma and lack of education.

Even after entering recovery, my path to treatment was not immediate. I faced systemic barriers, including lack of Medicaid coverage for hepatitis C treatment at the time. Although I was ready for care, care was not ready for me. It took years before treatment became accessible. When I was finally able to receive it, the process was straightforward, the side effects were minimal, and I was cured within months—highlighting a painful truth: the greatest barrier was never the treatment itself, but access to it.

Throughout my journey, I encountered stigma within healthcare settings. I often felt judged, dismissed, and defined by my past rather than supported in my healing. Those experiences now fuel my advocacy.

Today, I use my voice to challenge the systems that once failed me. I advocate for expanded syringe exchange programs, increased education around hepatitis C, and the removal of unnecessary barriers to treatment. I work to ensure that people who use substances—whether in active use or recovery—are met with dignity, compassion, and respect.

My message is clear: people should not have to wait for worthiness to access healthcare. Everyone deserves the chance to be healthy. Everyone deserves to be treated without judgment. And everyone deserves the opportunity to heal—on their own timeline, and with the support they need.

Jillian’s Personal Story

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My name is Jillian, and I was cured of hepatitis C. Here is my story:

I started using intravenous (IV) drugs, heroin, in the early 2000s. I was in and out of rehab and jail after being arrested multiple times for possession. I would go in and out of rehab and into methadone clinics. Eventually I was successful in my rehab efforts, and I moved back home with my parents. I tested positive for hepatitis C in 2004. Most of my friends from that time also tested positive. I don’t know if they if they got treated – I don’t talk to any of them anymore.

I went through treatment for hepatitis C with interferon combination therapy around 2004. I had to go out on disability from work and was put on Paxil because of the severity of the side effects and depression from treatment. I was lucky enough to have health insurance to cover the costs. I thought about the irony of being an IV drug user and having to give myself injections every week.

I cleared the hepatitis C virus after 8 months of treatment. Treatment was rough, but now there are so little side effects with current hepatitis C treatment. I feel like if more people knew how easy it is now; they’d seek out treatment. Now it’s taking pills for 8-12 weeks with mild side effects and no shots. While people may still have barriers to wanting to get treated, new treatments are a game changer!

Since then, I’ve remained drugfree with no relapses. I’m now the mom of two amazing girls. I’m attending Dartmouth and about to graduate with a master’s degree in public health. I didn’t get here the way I expected, but it feels right!