Project Inform is pleased to announce its partnership in the launch of a new national helpline, 877-HELP-4-HEP (877-435-7443), run by and for people affected by hepatitis C. This consumer resource is the result of two year-long collaboration among five national nonprofits with a combined 90 years’ experience in phone-based peer counseling, including Project Inform.
Hepatitis C affects nearly 4.5 million Americans, and each year nearly 17,000 people are newly infected. Chronic hepatitis C infection is a leading cause of liver cancer and transplants, and is associated with nearly 12,000 deaths each year. The US currently faces a large population of people in growing need of care and treatment.
Being diagnosed with hepatitis C carries with it many emotional and social challenges. It is especially complicated by the lack of comprehensive medical, mental health and community support services. People with hepatitis C report spending countless hours trying to find reliable support and information.
The launch of 877-HELP-4-HEP has been timed to respond to the growing need for hepatitis C care information and referrals as vastly improved treatments become available.
In 2012, the rollout of a new point-of-contact antibody test will occur, and the Centers for Disease Control will release new Guidelines to screen for the virus. More than one-half of people with hepatitis C do not know they are infected. In 2011, two new drugs came to market that have nearly doubled the cure rate, offering hope to many to live free of the virus. Additionally, President Obama increased federal spending on viral hepatitis by $10 million, and the Department of Health & Human Services announced its Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, both of which elevate the national discourse on hepatitis C infection and treatment. These significant policy developments have occurred, in part, as a result of Project Inform’s advocacy.Â
These recent changes in hep C care amplify the opportunity for supporting and linking people into care. Unique to 877-HELP-4-HEP are specially trained peer counselors using a structured approach to help callers navigate through screening, diagnosis, medical evaluation and treatment. Follow-up contact by the counselors keeps callers engaged at each step of their journey and helps them follow through with their health decisions.
877-HELP-4-HEP also uses an up-to-date national database of 25,000 referral resources and a secure shared caller database for counseling continuity. 877-HELP-4-HEP is designed to maintain contact with callers to improve health outcomes as well as document and measure the impact of our services.
877-HELP-4-HEP (877-435-7443) operates Monday through Friday 9am to 7pm EST. To learn more, visit www.help4hep.org or email info@help4hep.org.