About us

CARe Team Integrated Services, provides prevention, linkage to care and additional support services for people living with or at risk for Hepatitis C. Our goal is to promote better health outcomes by ensuring access to health care, supportive services and community capacity building.

Did you know that Hep C can be cured?

Watch Curing a Community-Ending Hep C an overview of the joys of bringing Hepatitis C treatment to the community.

HEPATITIS C VIRUS PREVENTION: ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES REPORT

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. For an overview of screening, prevention and treatment recommendations, download this PDF.

Centers for Disease Control recommendations for Hepatitis C screening among adults in the United States include:

  • Routine periodic testing for people with ongoing risk factors:
    • People who currently inject drugs and share needles, syringes or other drug preparation equipment.
    • People with selected medical conditions, including people who ever received maintenance hemodialysis.
  • Universal Hepatitis C screening:
    • At least once in a lifetime for all adults aged 18 years and older, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNApositive/detected) is less than 0.1%.
    • Hepatitis C testing for all pregnant people during each pregnancy, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNApositive/detected) is less than 0.1%.
  • Onetime Hepatitis C testing regardless of age or setting prevalence among people with recognized conditions or exposures:
    • People with HIV.
    • People who ever injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug preparation equipment (including those who injected once or a few times many years ago).
    • People with selected medical conditions, including:
      • People who ever received maintenance hemodialysis
      • People with persistently abnormal ALT levels
    • Prior recipients of transfusions or organ transplants, including:
      • People who received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987.
      • People who received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July 1992.
      • People who received an organ transplant before July 1992.
      • People who were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for HCV infection.
    • Health care, emergency medical and public safety personnel after needle sticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures to HCVpositive blood.
    • Children born to mothers with HCV infection

Testing for Hepatitis C is the first step toward prevention and cure. Did you know about 30% of people infected with Hepatitis C can spontaneously clear the virus with a strong immune response without the need for treatment? And although you may have been cured of Hepatitis C, the Hepatitis C antibody test will continue to test positive.

There are two steps to finding out if someone has a Hepatitis C infection:

  1. Antibody test: The antibody test or finger stick test looks for antibodies to the Hepatitis C virus in blood, and it is used to find out if someone has ever been infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
    • A ‘non-reactive’ or negative test means that you are not currently infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
    • A reactive or positive antibody test means you have been infected with the Hepatitis C virus at some point in time. A reactive antibody test does not necessarily mean that you currently have Hepatitis C and a follow up test is needed, known as a HCV RNA test or PCR test.
  2. HCV RNA test-If the Hepatitis C antibody test is reactive or positive, a RNA reflex test is need to confirm a current infection. Visit a clinic or ask your doctor about the HCV RNA test. This test is done through a blood draw.
    • A Negative test means you were infected with Hepatitis C virus, but the virus is no longer in your body because you were cured or cleared the virus naturally.
    • A Positive test means you now have the virus in your blood. Talk to your doctor about treatment options.

You can contact the following clinics to ask about free or low-cost screening:

Did you know?

Hepatitis C is treatable. Most people can be cured in 8 to 12 weeks. The treatment is tolerable with few or no side effects and is covered by most insurance plans.

Who should be treated?
Treatment is recommended for almost all people over the age of 3 years old (excluding pregnant people).
Ask your doctor about Hepatitis C treatment options, support and resources.

What does treatment involve?
Once Hepatitis C infection is confirmed via lab results, talk with your doctor about the best treatment option for you. Hepatitis C is treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) tables, which are highly effective at clearing the infection in more than 90% of people. The tablets are taken for 8 to 12 weeks.

Successful treatment does not protect against another Hepatitis C infection. To learn about access to sterile syringes and supplies, visit the Safe Use and Overdose Program.

Covering Hepatitis C treatment?
For individuals with Medi-Cal, treatment is covered. There are patient assistance programs through pharmaceutical companies for those who are uninsured.

PrEP-AP will pay for Hepatitis C medications. Contact a PrEP-AP Enrollment worker near you for more information:

  • Watsonville Health Center PrEP-AP Enrollment Worker: (831) 763-8172 (Monday, Wednesday, & Friday)
  • Emeline Health Center PrEP AP Enrollment Worker: (831) 454-4340 (Tuesday & Thursday)

Visit the free peer-to-peer Help-4-Hep helpline website or call 877-435-7443.