About

The Pacific Hepatitis C Network is a non-profit community-based organization founded in March 2007.  Before then, members from across the province worked together as a grassroots group, known as the Hepatitis C Collaborative Circle and later as the Hepatitis C Council of BC.

Here is a snapshot of who we are and what we do.  If you would like more information please be in touch with our Executive Director, Deb Schmitz, or a board member (see Contact).

How we work

The Pacific Hepatitis C Network works with people living with hepatitis C,  with community based organizations  and with government to address concerns about hepatitis C prevention, care, treatment access and support.

We also work with others to address concerns about hepatitis C and services and supports for:

•  mental health and substance use (counseling, treatment)
•  lack of housing
•  poverty
•  human rights issues

What we do

Networking and Skills Building

• Provide opportunity to meet others concerned with hepatitis C and learn about hepatitis C through an annual conference,  and through other training and community engagement activities as we are able,
• Bringing together people living with, affected by and at-risk for hepatitis C infection, health care providers, community-based service providers and community and government stakeholders

Resources

• Maintain Resource Directory to Hepatitis C-related services in British Columbia (updated version on this website, see  Resources)

• Provide information and contacts to members, stakeholders and the public through website

Projects

• Undertake projects related to our mission statement (see Projects for current projects)

• Published Managing the HCV Epidemic: A practical and cost effective approach for communities, 2005

Partnering and Collaboration

• Sit on a number of regional health authority and provincial working groups and committees with mandates to address HIV and hepatitis C in various ways.  We bring forward issues about and important to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C

• Work with drug user groups (Such as the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users [VANDU] and BC Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors) to ensure an accurate understanding of drug user realities in terms of the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C, including the need to address determinants of health

• Steering committee member of the Canadian Coalition of Organizations Responding to hepatitis B and C

• Maintain membership and is active with the Better Pharmacare Coalition (of British Columbia) and the Best Medicines Coalition (national)

Funding

Funding is through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program