NCHSTP Organization

NCHSTP is organized into an Office of the Director (OD) and four divisions, with the following functions:

The Office of the Director provides overall management, operations, communications, and policy guidance for the center. Also included in OD is an Office of Communications, which is a principal focal point for translating and disseminating science and prevention information, and a new field support unit, the Prevention Support Office (PSO), which has been created to handle grant and field staff issues across HIV, STD, and TB prevention programs. PSO's Program Coordination Unit is being established initially as a pilot project to facilitate program coordination and integration among the center’s divisions and with State and local health department grantees for HIV, STD, and TB prevention.

The Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention--Surveillance and Epidemiology (DHAP-SE) conducts surveillance and epidemiologic and behavioral research to monitor trends and risk behaviors and provide a basis for targeting prevention resources. In addition to work within the United States, DHAP is active in surveillance, research, prevention, evaluation, and technology transfer activities in developing countries.

The Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention--Intervention Research and Support (DHAP-IRS) conducts behavioral intervention and operations research and evaluation and provides financial and technical assistance for HIV prevention programs conducted by State, local, and territorial health departments, national minority organizations, community-based organizations, business, labor, religious organizations, and training agencies.

The Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) conducts surveillance; epidemiologic, behavioral, and operations research; and program evaluation related to STDs, including syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, human papillomavirus, genital herpes, and hepatitis B; assists States and selected localities in reaching those at risk for infection with STDs; works to prevent infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease and its complications, which can include ectopic pregnancy, cancer, and fetal or infant death; and collaborates with other agencies and groups, particularly community-based organizations, to enhance STD prevention awareness. DSTDP also supports programs in developing countries for surveillance, research, and prevention.

The Division of TB Elimination (DTBE) conducts surveillance and epidemiologic, behavioral, and operations research, both in the United States and in developing countries and provides information and education to health care providers, persons at high risk, and the general population. It also supports State and local health department efforts in preventing and controlling TB through directly observed therapy to ensure treatment completion by patients; in following up for persons with TB, suspected of having TB, or exposed to TB; in strengthening of laboratory activities; and in TB screening among persons at high risk and preventive therapy for persons found with infection.