Collaboration and capacity building among providers, public health agencies, community health agencies, substance abuse, behavioral health and other health care professionals are the only way our limited abilities and resources can respond to these challenges.

The need to educate and train providers across systems is tremendous. We need to integrate our messages, services, and program interventions. We need to understand the philosophy and values of our different health systems as well as criminal justice, housing, and other social service systems, so we can increase our resource access capacity. Training to address cultural competency issues and reduce the bias and stigma is perhaps most important of all. It is the only way individuals and groups with increased risk of infection will respond to our counseling and accept appropriate information and interventions.