Health Betterment Initiative

The mission of HBI is to mobilize communities to prevent liver disease caused by hepatitis B among communities at risk in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. HBI engages in activities that help promote positive change and affect the lives of Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the Washington, DC metro area through collaborative partnerships, culturally and linguistically appropriate hepatitis B outreach, education, screening, vaccination, linkages to care, and patient navigation services for impacted communities. HBI focuses on providing educational outreach to vulnerable populations and engage them in understanding what HBV is and how it can affect the liver, i.e. cause lifelong infection, scar the liver, develop into cancer, cause the liver to fail, and eventually lead to death. By increasing awareness among vulnerable populations, especially individuals who are low-income or have no health care coverage, HBI is helping potentially infected individuals get free screening and vaccinations that could save their lives and others with whom they interact.