POWER: Screening To Inform

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Syphilis rate increases in Los Angeles County (LAC) were most stark for women, with a 910% increase since 2012. In 2021, LAC had 123 infants who were diagnosed with congenital syphilis (CS) and 18 syphilitic stillbirths. Suboptimal syphilis screening among people who could become pregnant, particularly those not receiving regular healthcare services, was identified as a key contributor to CS. LAC’s Department of Public Health’s (LAC DPH) Prevention and Outreach to Women at Elevated Risk (POWER) project set out to identify non-traditional syphilis screening models to test and treat women of reproductive age with undiagnosed syphilis who may not otherwise be tested in routine healthcare settings. DPH partnered with County agencies and community-based organizations (CBO) serving women with substance use disorder (SUD), experiencing mental health challenges or experiencing homelessness to provide HIV and syphilis testing and treatment to these women and their partners. The project resulted in DPH developing three new testing models in conjunction with CBOs to deliver testing to high-risk persons. The uptake and yield of these testing models was high because the DPH partnered so closely with existing service providers already trusted by the target population.