Program areas at Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington DC
We are excited to introduce the Health Betterment Initiative (HBI), marking a transformation from our previous identity as the Hepatitis B Initiative. We are still HBI and have expanded to solidify our unwavering commitment to enhance overall health. We now offer outreach and education that allows us to serve more people with health access disparities; this includes: Beyond education, we offer free testing for glucose, cholesterol, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, TB, and syphilis. HBI also provides case management and patient navigation services, ensuring a seamless linkage to care for comprehensive health management. We are a diverse team serving diverse communities with a new revitalized brand. Look for the soft launch that starts with our new website. Translations of our educational materials will start with Spanish and will follow to include Chinese, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Amharic. Our commitment to better health and well-being includes simplifying access to free health resources. I am pleased to present our accomplishments and impactful stories from 2023 in this annual report. This past year, HBI continued its unwavering commitment to empowering individuals and communities towards optimal health, with a primary focus on liver diseases, infectious diseases, and chronic conditions. Through culturally sensitive education, robust support services, and collaborative partnerships, we have taken significant strides in eliminating health disparities, particularly among vulnerable populations. In 2023, HBI tested 3,505 people for HIV; consisting of 1,263 in DC, 1,858 in Maryland and 384 in Virginia. For HCV, HBI tested 1,327 in DC, 2,569 in Maryland and 682 in Virginia. Thus a total of 4,578 HCV testing in 2023. Also, a total of 2,286 were tested for HBV. Out of this total, 339 were tested in DC, 1,412 in Maryland and 535 in Virginia. On health education, HBI provided health education to 26,000; broken down to 7,536 in DC, 14,590 in Maryland and 3,873 in in Virginia.
2022 was an exciting and busy year for our team at HBI. The Board of Directors' decision to revise our mission allowed us to expand our programs and serve more individuals in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Recount our exciting growth on our newly designed website. You will immediately see our program impact, highlights, and upcoming events on the home page. Follow our daily activities on lnstagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Linkedln by clicking on the homepage links.