Informing Local Health Department and Health Center Partnerships: Creative Collaborations Strengthen Tuberculosis Care in Three Communities

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of preventable infectious disease deaths worldwide, and in the United States, eliminating TB is a national public health goal. In 2018, a total of 9,029 new cases of TB were reported and the TB burden is higher among persons experiencing homelessness, persons with exposure to the correctional system, persons living with HIV, and foreign-born populations.  While the number of reported TB cases in the U.S. has been decreasing, the pace of decline has been slowing and our current strategies must evolve to achieve TB elimination in this century.  
This report explores three communities at the forefront of innovative care. These health centers and public health departments — Orleans County and Oak Orchard Health, NY; Houston Health Department and Hope Clinic, Texas; and Denver Public Health and The Frederico Peña Southwest Family Health Center, CO — are coordinating TB services and programs to improve screening, testing, treatment, and care. Read about the development of these model partnerships, and how local public health is meeting people where they live to advance TB prevention and treatment.