9 Tables

Goals of Partner Services.

Principles of Partner Services.  “The following principles serve as the foundation for providing partner services to persons with HIV infection or other STDs and their partners”

Data security. “Partner services programs should ensure that clearly defined, written protocols and procedures that address confidentiality and data security are in place to address incoming and outgoing requests for intrastate and interstate transmission of information.”

Duty to Warn. “Certain states have laws requiring practitioners (directly or with the assistance of public health authorities) to warn persons they know to be at risk for infection with a communicable disease, an STD, or HIV by their patients. Many other states have laws permitting but not requiring practitioners to warn persons that they are at risk (i.e., privilege to warn).”

Legal Authority. “States hold the legal authority for the notification and referral of partners of persons with HIV infection and other types of STDs. Public health agencies responsible for partner services should conduct a thorough review of all laws relevant to their provision of these services.” 

Staffing. “Staff development and support begins with a clear description of staff roles and responsibilities, as well as of the knowledge and skills required for the job. All staff members conducting partner services activities need in-depth training on partner services goals and principles, methods of partner services, and any specific concerns related to specific infections.”

Supervision. “Program staffing infrastructure should include enough staff members who have specific training and expertise in technical supervision of partner services activities to supervise DIS. Quality improvement and review of performance of staff members should be made clear priorities for supervisors.”

Training. “Programs should develop and implement comprehensive training plans for partner services staff members at all levels, including program managers and supervisors.”

2008 MMWR, Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydial Infection

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5709a1.htm

State Statutes Explicitly Related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases

in the United States, 2013

https://www.cdc.gov/std/program/final-std-statutesall-states-5june-2014.pdf

Communicable Disease Intervention Protocol Map

http://lawatlas.org/query?dataset=communicable-disease-intervention-protocol

Confidentiality. “Confidentiality refers to keeping information obtained from or about index patients, partners, social contacts, and associates in confidence; information is not divulged to others or obtained or maintained in a way that makes it accessible to others.”

2008 MMWR, Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydial Infection

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5709a1.htm;

CDC  Data confidentiality and security guidelines 2014

HIPAA Privacy Rule. “Balancing the protection of individual health information with the need to protect public health, the Privacy Rule expressly permits disclosures without individual authorization to public health authorities authorized by law to collect or receive the information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, including but not limited to public health surveillance, investigation, and intervention.”

45 CFR § 160.102;

MMWR 2003, HIPAA Privacy Rule and Public Health https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/m2e411a1.htm

CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, IPS Working Group.  Members of the IPS Working Group have extensive knowledge and experience working with health departments on developing, implementing and evaluating IPS programs. They can provide TA and trainings.  Additionally, they facilitate quarterly conference call discussions with DIS staff across the nation about IPS related topics. 

Contact Frank Strona (fhs3@cdc.gov) or Rachel Kachur (rlk4@cdc.gov) for more information.

CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention, Capacity Building Branch. Organizations and health departments that receive direct funding from CDC may request TA through the web-based Capacity Building Assistance Request Information System (CRIS).  

Organizations not funded directly by the CDC can ask the health departments in their jurisdictions to submit a TA request on their behalf. 

Capacity Building Assistance Request Information System (CRIS) - https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Cris2009/pages/main/e1.aspx.

Health department listings - https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Cris2009/pages/main/hdexternalinfo.aspx

The National Network of STD/HIV Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) offers courses related to IPS. 

http://nnptc.org/partner-services-ptcs/