Cuyahoga County and the city of Cleveland health departments signed a historic agreement on June 22 to collaborate and work to end the HIV/AIDS crisis. This is the first agreement of its kind between the two government agencies, Cleveland’s Public Health Director Dr. David Margolius said.
The agreement was years in the making and is part of a pledge 500 other cities and counties have signed to become Fast Track Cities and end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, he said.
“Cleveland had been invited to the table really over the last ten years," Margolius said. "But it wasn't till now that we and the county together said yes to sign on to this pledge.”
The agreement comes four years after Cleveland's Department of Public Health (CDPH) lost a $1.5 million state grant to combat the crisis after it failed to meet the requirements to be eligible for continued funding.
The problems included failing to meet Ohio Department of Health contract deadlines, not filling staff vacancies by a deadline established in the plan, and having below-standard performance measures. CDPH also failed to connect newly diagnosed people with partner services within 30 days of the confirmed HIV-positive test date.
Cuyahoga County later applied for and received those funds, Margolius said.
By joining the Fast-Track Cities network, Cuyahoga County and Cleveland are committing to share their best practices and the results of their various initiatives, while also working closely with affected communities, health authorities, clinicians and service providers to end the epidemic.
By bringing together their expertise, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County will be able to move more quickly to eliminate this health threat, Margolius said.
He said the agreement was driven, in part, by the city and county hiring senior staff to focus on racial equity, referring to Lita Wills, commissioner of health equity and social justice for the Cleveland Department of Public Health and Andre Brown, director of equity, diversity and inclusion for the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
“It's one thing to say that you care about equity and that you care about the health of black men in our community, but it's another thing to dedicate full-time people to that work as part of their job,” Margolius said.
He added the Black community is disproportionately impacted by the disease.
"The folks who take the undue burden of the disease in Cleveland are Black ... usually Black men," Margolius said.
