The overall goal of the RAPID (Rapid ART Program Initiative for HIV Diagnoses) program is to create a set of “hubs” around the city where persons newly diagnosed with HIV (or out of care) can rapidly access antiretroviral therapy (ART) and have a smooth transition to their medical home. In order to accomplish this goal, a RAPID steering committee established hub locations, standard operating procedure (SOP) for ART start, and SOP for transition to a primary medical home. The committee works with SF Department of Public Health surveillance (now “ARCHES”) to track the uptake and outcomes of persons participating in the program. We build on the existing LINCS programs at SFDPH to create and support hubs for rapid initiation of ART to individuals.
We start ART:
Within 48 hours –
- If acute/early infection (recent negative Ab test, RNA+/Ab– or recent symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome) or
- Evidence of advanced infection (opportunistic infection or a CD4 count of less than 200)
Within 5 days –
- All other newly HIV-diagnosed persons
The program aims to provide ART for up to 5 days for these individuals until they are transitioned into their medical home.
RAPID Resources
Publications
- *New* Outcomes of Rapid Restart Among People With Previously Diagnosed HIV at a Safety-Net HIV Clinic in San Francisco. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 100(3):p 256-264, November 1, 2025.
- Development of a Citywide Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiative in San Francisco. AJPM. 2021 November, Pages S47-S54.
- Decreased Time from HIV Diagnosis to Care, ART Initiation, and Virologic Suppression during the Citywide RAPID Initiative in San Francisco. CID. 2020 May 25.
- RAPID ART: High virologic suppression rates with immediate ART initiation in a vulnerable urban clinic population. AIDS. 2018 December 21.
News & Updates
[New Publication] Development of a Citywide Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiative in San Francisco
Oliver M.L. Bacon, Susa C. Coffey, Ling C. Hsu, Jennie C.S. Chin, Diane V. Havlir, Susan P. Buchbinder, Development of a Citywide Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiative in San Francisco, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 61, Issue 5, Supplement 1, 2021, Pages S47-S54,ISSN 0749-3797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.06.001.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379721003615) Introduction Ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. holds rapid antiretroviral…
San Francisco Ending the HIV/HCV/STI Epidemics (ETE)
In 2019, SFDPH received Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding for a one-year accelerated planning process to develop a local plan to end the HIV epidemic. San Francisco added the goals of eliminating hepatitis C (HCV) and turning the curve on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The funding was part of the national Ending…
[Fact Sheet] Reconnect with Care: It’s Safe to (Re)Connect with HIV, STI and Hep C Care
Reconnect to care, it’s important that you seek care when you need it, including routine STD testing and HIV viral load monitoring if you are a person living with HIV. All healthcare providers in San Francisco are required to follow specific requirements and best practices to keep you safe. Read more in the fact sheets…
[New Publication] The case for prescribing PrEP in community mental health settings
Sudler A, Cournos F, Arnold E, Koester K, Riano NS, Dilley J, Liu A, Mangurian C. The case for prescribing PrEP in community mental health settings. Lancet HIV. 2021 Apr;8(4):e237-e244. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(20)30273-3. Epub 2021 Jan 22. PMID: 33493438. Abstract Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a biomedical HIV prevention modality that is up to 99% effective in…