Saturday, April 5, 2025
4/5/2025
Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program - Newark Community Health Center, Inc., (NCHC) is submitting to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) HRSA-25-002, for $462,048.00 to provide a broad range of RWHAP Part C Early Intervention Services, supportive services and core HIV medical service (expedited entry in care) to at least 1,246 of the vulnerable groups residing in the Essex County service area, New Jersey. This request is for the grant period beginning Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027. NCHC, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has been providing health and social services to the poor, uninsured, and medically underserved populations of Essex County for nearly 30 years. For the last five years, NCHC has been designated a Level 3NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), with a goal to eliminate health disparities and help people live stronger, healthier, and happier lives. NCHC is one of the largest providers of primary care to Essex County residents, including the predominantly African American and Latino populations of Newark, East Orange, Orange and Irvington, which house more than half of the county’s residents, and more than three- quarters of its minority population. NCHC has been providing quality and compassionate HIV care for more than 20 years to low-income persons and persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) from the start of the HIV epidemic. NCHC’s cadre of culturally competent staff, infectious disease specialists, medical and non-medical case managers and peer-support counselors were at the start of the epidemic treating, comforting, and giving hope to varied groups who were struck by fear and unimaginable loss. Essex County has an estimated population of 851,117 (US Census 2023). The county is the third most populous county and ranks 20th in median household income among the state’s 21 counties, with a figure in its urban areas of just 44% of the state-wide number. Essex County has a large population of uninsured, and an even greater number of Medicaid-insured. The county’s low rankings are impacted by the fact that its three most populous communities (Newark, East Orange and Irvington) are plagued by poverty and its resultant social ills. Essex County has a higher percentage of people with HIV in the area than elsewhere in the state. New Jersey ranks third nationally in cases of PLWHA, and a disproportionate number of these cases are in NCHC’s service area, a majority of whom are minorities. As of December 31, 2022, 37,693 people were reported living with HIV or AIDS in New Jersey. Essex County alone contributed 25% (or 8,883) of the state’s PLWHA. Essex County had 6% less males living with HIV than females (68.4%), while females showed a higher percentage of people living with HIV at 38% in Essex County, which was 7.6 % more than the state. Racial distribution of PLWHA shows a greater preponderance of infections among minority populations. Blacks account for 66.2% in Essex County. Hispanics/Latinx made up another noticeable proportion at 20.5% while Whites represented 5.7% for Essex County. Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the leading risk factors for HIV in Essex County, followed by injection drug use (22.9%%), and heterosexual contact (19.2%). For the 1,246 that sought care at NCHC, there is an over-representation of heterosexual transmission (74%), thrusting women, particularly Blacks and Hispanic women, into the throes of the HIV/AIDS problem. An added risk is seen among young adults ages 18 to 24, linguistically isolated residents, undocumented individuals, refugees, substance abusers, homeless, mentally challenged, Latino men and women, Black males, poor women, persons age 55 and over with co-morbidities, and prison entrants.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).