About SAC

Successful Approaches to Counseling and Testing (SACT) is the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Office of AIDS (OA) program to train and certify HIV¹, HCV², and syphilis test counselors for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived testing³.

The training is made up of two parts:

• SACT-O (Online) is an online web-based training that consists of 4 units: General Core, HIV Basics for Non-Clinicians, HCV, and Syphilis. This online training provides comprehensive education on HIV, HCV, and syphilis
  • Eligibility: Anyone
  • Schedule: Online, available 24 hours a day, year-round
  • Pre-requisite for: SACT-P. Completion of SACT-O is required for anyone seeking HIV, HCV, and/or syphilis test counselor certification.
  • Cost: Free
  • Certification provided upon completion: No
• SACT-P (In-person) is an in-person training and proficiency evaluation that is available to employees of local health jurisdictions (LHJs) and community-based organizations that conduct CLIA-waived testing for HIV, HCV, and/or syphilis.
  • Eligibility: Employees and volunteers of LHJs and organizations who conduct CLIA-waived testing.
  • Schedule: See Catalog for current availability. To request additional trainings, please fill out the form here.
  • Pre-requisite for: HIV/HCV/Syphilis test counselor certification
  • Cost: Free
  • Certification provided upon successful completion: Yes

Background: HIV, HCV, and STIs such as syphilis have significant morbidity in California, yet many people are unaware of their infections. Others may be aware of their infection but not engaged in timely care, potentially resulting in continued disease transmission and serious health consequences. Health and Safety Code (HSC) 120917 has allowed HIV test counselors trained by the CDPH/OA or its agents to use CLIA waived tests for HIV to increase the proportion of people aware of their HIV infections and linked to care; HCV testing was added to the scope of trained HIV test counselors in 2012 with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 1382 (Hernández, Chapter 643, Statutes of 2011).

In October 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 306 (Pan, Chapter 486, Statutes of 2021) into law, amending HSC 120917 to allow HIV test counselors to be trained using a curriculum approved by OA, not limited to an OA training agent. SB 306 also allows HIV test counselors trained using a curriculum approved by OA to perform CLIA-waived tests for STIs, and for CDPH to determine which tests to include in the training.

Federal law requires that entities performing CLIA-waived tests follow the test kit manufacturer’s package insert and maintain a quality assurance (QA) plan. Additional training components required under California law for HIV test counselors performing CLIA-waived HIV, HCV, and/or STI tests are outlined in HSC 120917 as amended by SB 306.

SACT is a project of the CDPH/OA, in collaboration with University of California, Los Angeles HHIPP (SACT-O) and University of California, San Francisco, Alliance for Health (SACT-P).

Definitions:

¹ Human Immunodeficiency Virus

² Hepatitis C Virus

³ Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived tests are simple laboratory tests with a low risk of error. For SACT, these are rapid antibody and rapid antibody/antigen tests, such as those branded as OraQuick ADVANCE HIV-1/2 Antibody, INSTI HIV-1/2 Antibody, Alere/Abbott Determine HIV-1/2 Antigen/Antibody Combo, OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test, Diagnostics Direct Syphilis Health Check, and ChemBio DPP Combination HIV-Syphilis test. CDPH does not endorse any of these companies or their products.

Special thanks:

This course was written, reviewed, and validated by public health professionals, physicians, sexual health and education researchers, social work professionals, HIV law professionals, and HIV/HCV/STI education specialists at the California Department of Public Health and the University of California, Los Angeles, including Paul Adamson, Lonje Deschamps, Cary Escovedo, Thomas E. Freese, Carolina Hernandez, Karin Hill, Ian W. Holloway, Leslie Knight, Rachel (Ray) McLean, Jennifer McMillan, Hector Palencia, Jesse Peck, Anna Pennington, Ayako Miyashita Ochoa, Erisa Rosen, Beth A. Rutkowski, Cody Uyeda, Alexandra C. Avendaño, Andrea Vazquez, and Elizabeth S.C. Wu. Filming was provided by Jason Eberly and Luka Stemberger of Evertale Films. HIV service organization and mobile unit filming locations were provided by Access to Prevention and Advocacy Intervention & Treatment (APAIT). Instructional design was provided by UCLA Online Teaching and Learning and Competency-Based Educational Network. UCLA Canvas and information technology support was provided by UCLA Bruin Learn Center of Excellence. Website programming and support was provided by Neochrome. We additionally thank the following individuals for their significant contributions to the course, including: Stephen Scott and Jen Shockey from University of California, San Francisco Alliance Health Project, Kelly Gluckman, Alex Iling, Corey Saucier, and all of the people with lived experience who shared their personal stories and journeys for the purpose of preparing future HIV test counselors.