Establishing a viral hepatitis prevention and control program: Florida's experience

In 1999, the Florida State Legislature established and funded the statewide Hepatitis Prevention Program (HPP) to address growing concern about hepatitis C virus (HCV) and its potential public health burden. HPP supports county health departments' (CHDs') provision of viral hepatitis prevention services to at-risk adults through free hepatitis A and B vaccine in most CHDs and hepatitis serologic testing and statewide viral hepatitis-related education, consultation, and referral services. Some CHDs are directly funded by HPP. In 2001-2005, HPP support helped CHDs provide 59,228 hepatitis A and 74,039 hepatitis B vaccinations statewide. In 2005, HPP supported almost 17,000 hepatitis B and C tests. From January to June 2005, 1,603 positive HCV tests were reported, a 9.5% seropositivity rate. With $24 million from the Florida State Legislature through 2006, HPP has helped CHDs statewide provide substantial viral hepatitis prevention services to at-risk adults.