Meet the challenges of today's policy landscape with actionable strategies for igniting and sustaining change. This closing plenary session will examine how advocacy at different levels of the healthcare and prevention continuum can better move in concert together. This plenary session will engage participants in advocacy across HIV, HCV, STIs, Drug User and LGBTQ Health, Immunocompromised Communities, and Health Equity, and closes SYNC 2026 with a clear call to action as we move Forward in SYNChronicity through advocacy.
Scaling back HIV and STI federal funds undermines decades of progress made in the public health realm. Domestic HIV and STI Prevention programs aim to provide essential services such as testing, treatment and education, to help decrease transmission of infectious diseases and improve health outcomes in the local communities. The Houston Health Department (HHD) relies mostly on federal grants to support staffing, infrastructure and preventative services. The Partner Services program is especially crucial for contact tracing to prevent further spread of disease by tracking partners of individuals potentially infected with syphilis and HIV. HHD assessed the Partner Services program’s performance levels to determine if uncertainty in receiving federal funds, which potentially contributed to a significant reduction in workforce, had negatively impacted Public Health Follow Up (PHFU) activities.
The decline in drug-related fatalities in New Jersey over the past three years reflects progress in harm reduction, yet racial disparities remain stark. Black and Hispanic communities continue to face disproportionate rates of drug-related deaths—51.4 and 38.9 per 100,000, respectively—compared to white residents. The Black Lives Matter Paterson Harm Reduction Center and Mobile Unit provides resources, care, and support to neglected populations through culturally responsive, Black-centered mobile outreach.
Accreditation, Credit, and Support
Information on credits offered to SYNC participants for attending institutes, sessions, and plenaries — live or in-person — is available here.
Commercial Support Acknowledgement
This conference is supported, in part, by independent educational grants from ineligible companies. A full list of supporters is available here. All accredited content has been developed and delivered in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence and the criteria of Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education™, and is free of commercial bias.
Important Notice: We have received reports of companies falsely claiming to sell SYNChronicity Conference attendee lists and related services. These solicitations are scams and are not affiliated with SYNChronicity, HealthHIV, HealthHCV, or the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health. Do not engage with these organizations. For questions about conference communications or vendors, contact us directly.
