East Bay Getting to Zero

Updates on the East Bay HIV strategic plan will be posted to this webpage.

Haga clic en la siguiente imagen para acceder al Plan Estratégico en Español.



Overview and purpose

The United States launched a bold new HIV public health partnership in 2020 called Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE): A Plan for America, a ten-year nationwide initiative with the goal to achieve a 90% reduction of new HIV infections by 2030. The East Bay was identified as one of the 57 geographic areas in the US most heavily impacted by HIV transmissions and is supported by the national EHE initiative to develop and implement a local EHE plan. This plan is aligned with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2022-2025. Our strategic activities and priorities are featured in the California Ending the HIV Epidemic Plan (see pages 48 and 79).

East Bay Getting to Zero is the community coalition developing the EHE plan for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Over 200 community members and leaders have worked together on this plan since 2019 and meet regularly to implement strategic activities and update the plan yearly.

This is a community-driven “living” East Bay HIV strategic plan that is:
« flexible and responsive to local needs,
« addresses structural inequities, and
« used to make real systemic change
to achieve our vision of an East Bay with zero HIV stigma, zero health disparities, and zero new HIV transmissions.

This plan is evaluated and updated annually. Please download the latest version of the East Bay HIV Strategic Plan in English here and share your feedback here. Haga clic aquí para el plan en español, y clic aquí para darnos su opinión.

Core values

Core values include advancing equity and healing with work that is people-first, trauma-informed, healing-engaged, anti-racist, sex positive, community-driven, data/science-driven, adaptive.

Strategic areas

  1. Community messaging
  2. Improving collaborations
  3. Innovative models
  4. Youth engagement
  5. Housing initiatives
East Bay HIV strategic plan priority activities for 2024
These are our strategic priorities planned for 2024.

Process timeline

  • 2019 to early 2020: linkage and PrEP network meetings developing strategic themes
  • September 11, 2020: visioning workshop #1
  • October 23, 2020: writing workshop #2 on strategic activities
  • November 13, 2020: writing workshop #3 on strategic activities
  • November 17, 2020: conversación virtual de planeación estratégica
  • December 4, 2020: draft for community feedback at World AIDS Day event
  • December-January 2021: equity and key communities task force review
  • January 2021: ongoing feedback and integration of equity and key communities input
  • February 10, 2021: “living” plan in English shared widely
  • February 19, 2021: El Plan en Español shared widely
  • November 2021: Planning, discussions, survey created and feedback collection started to plan 2022 updates and activities.
  • December 3, 2021: 2021 updates shared and feedback requested at East Bay World AIDS Day event (download slides).
  • January-February 2022: Community accomplishments, surveys and polls on 2022 strategic activities, feedback and updates were integrated into the strategic plan, 2022 strategic priority activities added, and updated Alameda and Contra Costa County HIV epidemiology and equity/disparities data incorporated.
  • February 9-24, 2022: The draft of the 2022 strategic plan update was shared with the East Bay HIV network and open for feedback, comments, questions and revisions. The final review was completed by the EBGTZ steering committee.
  • February 24, 2022: The final strategic plan document in English with 2022 updates was posted to this webpage and will be used to implement Ending the HIV Epidemic and Getting to Zero activities.
  • March 31, 2022: El Plan Estratégico para acabar con el VIH del Este de la Bahía, 2021-2025, v.2022 was posted to this page and will be shared widely with the East Bay HIV network.
  • October 13, 2022: Voting on 2023 strategic priorities began at the housing workshop, and will be available to everyone in this online poll and in meetings and events until the end of 2022.
  • October-December 2022: Votes and feedback on the proposed strategic priorities from 141 people in the East Bay HIV network were collected and analyzed. The top 5 strategic priority areas for 2023 are:
    • Mental health skills and referrals
    • Street, shelter and ED HIV services
    • Injectable PrEP and HIV treatment
    • Housing case discussions
    • Mobile HIV services
  • January-February 2023: Updates and revisions were made to the East Bay HIV strategic plan reflecting the latest local HIV data, what we did in 2022, and what we plan to work on in 2023.
  • March 2023: The 2023 update of the East Bay HIV Strategic Plan in English was completed and shared with the East Bay HIV network and made publicly available.
  • June 2023: The updated plan in Spanish 2023 Plan Estratégico para acabar con el VIH del Este de la Bahía was completed and shared.
  • October-December 2023: Votes and feedback on the proposed strategic priorities from 103 people in the East Bay HIV network were collected and analyzed. The top 5 strategic priority areas for 2024 are:
    • Injectable PrEP and HIV treatment, including community education
    • Mental health and substance use assessment and management
    • Youth gender and sexuality best practice guide
    • The East Bay AIDS Memorial Garden
    • Spanish-language HIV education, outreach and services
  • February 2024: The 2024 update of the East Bay HIV Strategic Plan in English was completed and shared with the East Bay HIV network and made publicly available.
  • May 2024: Alameda County maps showing the geographic areas where the most PLWH live were added to the Strategic Plan in English and to the EBGTZ key communities reference document.
  • Spring/Summer 2024: The updated plan in Spanish will be completed and shared.

Strategic plan community events and workshops

2023 workshops and events

  • In February, May, August and November 2023, an East Bay HIV clinician community of practice met to discuss and strengthen equitable access to injectable ART/PrEP.
  • In March 2023, the linkage network met for a training on building mental health alliances and skills for suicide prevention in collaboration with the Pacific Center and the Crisis Support Services of Alameda County. 
  • In July 2023, the Poz+ group completed a mural that addresses HIV stigma through art, located in East Oakland. The mural, designed and painted by local East Bay artist Aeos One in collaboration with the Poz+ group, was digitally unveiled on Zero HIV Stigma Day.
  • In September 2023, the linkage network met for a training on how HIV stigma affects LGBT communities.
  • In October 2023, Grupo de Charla unveiled a community mural titled: “Viviendo Sin Fronteras, mas alla del VIH” during the NLAAD Celebration in collaboration with several East Bay community organizations. The mural, designed and painted by  J Manuel Carmona and Simón Malvaez, is located at La Frontera Restaurant in Fruitvale.
  • In October and December 2023, the regional case managers network came together to improve collaborations among agencies, receive training on housing, understand clinical basics of HIV and long-acting injectable treatment options.
  • On November 30, 2023, we held our annual East Bay World AIDS Day event, shared our accomplishments from 2023 and proposed plans for 2024 with the broader community, voted on priorities, and celebrated with music, art, dance, song and intergenerational achievements.
Grupo de Charla’s mural “Viviendo Sin Fronteras, mas alla del VIH” in Fruitvale, designed and painted by  J Manuel Carmona and Simón Malvaez.
The Poz+ group’s mural addressing HIV stigma through art in East Oakland, designed and painted by local East Bay artist Aeos One.

2022 workshops and events

  • On February 24, 2022, the EBGTZ steering committee met to review and discuss updates, revisions and 2022 plans with the working group facilitators. Input and ideas will be used to shape strategic activities in the coming year.
  • On April 27, 2022, the workshop on substance use overdose prevention and safety plans brought together leaders in harm reduction and HIV to create the East Bay substance use overdose prevention and safety plan toolkit, which features resources for getting and using naloxone, needle and equipment exchange and a safety plan template to help people reduce their risk of overdose.
  • On October 13, 2022, the Housing 101 workshop brought together housing and HIV advocates to learn about our new East Bay housing guides, the experience of applying for housing as a person experiencing homelessness in the East Bay, and how to support people through the process. Our housing resource page was updated with the housing guides, slides and recording from the workshop.
  • On November 1, 2022 the online poll for voting on 2023 strategic priorities opened for everyone in the community and shared in the November monthly newsletter.
  • On November 2, 2022 the Prevention network met to discuss PrEP access for women in the East Bay and vote on 2023 strategic priorities. The strategic priorities were also voted on and discussed with the EBGTZ steering committee and HIV ACCESS network.
  • On December 2, 2022, we held our annual East Bay World AIDS Day event, shared our accomplishments from 2022 and proposed plans for 2023 with the broader community, and voted on priorities.

2021 workshops and events

  • In April 2021, the linkage network met to determine how we would improve collaborations by revising and updating our online service directory and work together on more events.
  • In June 2021, we launched the East Bae Checklist community messaging campaign.
  • In August 2021, the linkage network met to strengthen ED and substance use collaborations with the Highland Hospital Emergency Department and Bridge substance use clinic. Read more and watch the ED/SUD video here.
  • In September 2021, the community messaging group and Get Social with Teja hosted a training on how best to use social media platforms. Read more and watch the social media video here.
  • In October 2021, the linkage network met to strengthen access to housing and build more collaborations between HIV and housing organizations. Read more and watch the housing video here. A new housing opportunities webpage was built as a result of this workshop. 
  • In November 2021, the community messaging group, David Gonzalez and Xavier Davenport presented a training on best practices for HIV prevention outreach through dating and hook-up apps. Read more and watch the dating apps video here.
  • Three prevention working group meetings were held to discuss innovative models for home and mobile testing as well as positive youth development. 
  • In December 2021, over 120 people joined us on December 3 at our East Bay World AIDS Day event to share updates on the strategic plan, vote on top priorities, honor and celebrate the amazing advocates, activists, artists and leaders we have in our community! Click here to watch the video and see the art.

2020 workshops and events

On December 4, 2020 in commemoration of World AIDS Day, 100 people came together to celebrate our collective resistance, resilience, strength and beauty with music, poetry, song and dance; honor people in the East Bay HIV community; and to share our draft of the 5-year East Bay HIV strategy. Click here for the town hall slides.

Questions and feedback generated by the town hall will be used to develop and revise the East Bay HIV strategic plan. The second draft of the plan will be posted on this website in January, and the final version will be released in February 2021. 

Deep gratitude for the 200+ community advocates, leaders, organizers and front-line workers who have helped us develop and write the plan… and for all the artists who have given us food for our spirits and kept us true to our values of equity and healing!

  • Click here to download all 2020 workshop summaries (PDF)
  • On September 11, 2020, 76 people joined us for our visioning workshop for the 5-year East Bay HIV strategic plan. Download the September workshop #1 summary here and slides here.
  • On October 23rd, 53 people joined us for our workshop to develop activities for the plan. Download the October workshop #2 summary here and slides here.
  • On November 13th, 40 people joined us for our workshop to determine priorities and outcomes for each strategic priority. Download the November workshop #3 summary here and slides here.
  • On November 17th, 22 people joined us for our first strategic planning workshop in Spanish! Acá Entre Nos: Taller de Redacción de un Plan Estratégico para Acabar con La Epidemia. Many thanks to to Dr. Xaviera Ortiz Soto and Moisés Cruz Jáuregui for co-facilitating this workshop. Download the bilingual notes from the Spanish language workshop here and slides here. Puede descargar el resumen de la sesión aquí y la presentación aqui.

We are so grateful for our communities’ commitment to HIV services and advocacy during this time of multiple crises. Your presence speaks to the strength and resilience of our community.

Word cloud created in response to the question: How do you want to be when we come out of this pandemic?

Key communities and equity integrated into each area above with an additional equity group who will review all activities.

Key communities

During the September 11, 2020 workshop, there was a lively discussion on how to include key communities and address equity in the strategic planning process.

As a result of this discussion, the planning team will be more explicit and intentional in including key communities and equity in upcoming meetings and the structure of the strategic plan. In each strategic area, we will have sessions to address how we include our core values to advance healing and key communities to advance equity. We want to make sure advocates are part of these decision-making plans and discussions. After activities are determined, there will be an additional review by an equity group to ensure access and needs of key communities are addressed.

Key communities that will be explicitly included to advance equity include groups with a disproportionate rate of new diagnoses in the East Bay: Black/African Americans (including women), Latinx people, youth/young adults, transgender people, men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, people who are or were incarcerated, and people experiencing homelessness. Groups with a disproportionate rate of late diagnoses in the East Bay include Latinx people, Asian and Pacific Islander people and people older than 50.

Areas of structural change we will address: policies, systems, programs, culture/environment, practices.

Organizations in attendance included:

AIDS Project East Bay, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHIP/Eden I&R, Alameda County Public Health Department, Alameda Health Consortium, Asian Health Services, Bay Area Community Health – Transvision, Bay Area African American State of Emergency (BASE), CAL-PEP, Contra Costa County Public Health, East Bay Advanced Care (EBAC), Highland Hospital, Kaiser East Bay, La Clinica de la Raza, Lifelong Medical Care, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Oakland TGA Planning Council, Pacific AETC, Primary Care at Home, Roots Health Center, RTI International, UCSF School of Nursing, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, WORLD