The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Field Services conducts HIV rapid testing and is registered as a Limited Service Laboratory through the Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program at the Wadsworth Center. Dr. Linda Styer, Director of the Wadsworth Center’s Bloodborne Viruses Laboratory, is the Laboratory Director for this NYSDOH Limited Service Laboratory. In this role, Dr. Styer oversees the HIV rapid testing program, ensuring compliance with NYSDOH rapid testing guidelines and providing ongoing technical guidance and support. The Bureau of HIV/STI Field Services recently hired a new manager for the HIV rapid testing program and is planning to expand the use of HIV rapid testing across New York State.
In December 2025, Dr. Styer was invited to present at the HIV Field Testing Training of the Trainers Program, an initiative designed to prepare staff from NYSDOH regional offices to train personnel within their respective offices to perform HIV rapid testing and to collect dried blood spot (DBS) specimens for confirmatory HIV testing at the Wadsworth Center’s Bloodborne Viruses Laboratory. Dr. Styer’s presentation included overviews of Markers of HIV Infection, HIV Diagnostic Testing, and Best Practices for Submitting DBS Specimens for Confirmatory HIV Testing.
In March 2026, Timothy Sullivan, the HIV clinical testing supervisor in the Wadsworth Center’s Bloodborne Viruses Laboratory, prepared positive and negative proficiency testing samples and conducted a pre-test using the Chembio SURE CHECK HIV 1/2 Assay to ensure they provided the expected results. Panels of blinded proficiency testing samples were then shipped to six regional offices throughout New York State. These samples will be used by staff to help ensure continued accuracy and high-quality performance of HIV rapid testing statewide.
A strong partnership between Wadsworth Center staff and staff in the Bureau of HIV/STI Field Services is essential to the continued success of the expanded HIV rapid testing program in New York State.