Saturday, June 7, 2025
6/7/2025
RYAN WHITE TITLE III: EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES - CSILO has served as a RW Part C grantee since 2000, offering comprehensive primary care services and access to secondary, tertiary and specialized care to primarily low income, medically underserved HIV/AIDS patients. As of April 30, 2024 had served 99 HIV + patients. CSILO has a history of 53 years administering federal funds, having been an FQHC since 1972, Joint Commission accredited since 1999 and PCMH since 2015 in all except the Ceiba clinic which was certified in 2021. As the general overview of the HIV epidemiology in CSILO’s designated service area selected (municipalities of Loiza, Rio Grande, Canóvanas, Ceiba and Luquillo, Puerto Rico), has a population of PLWH/A of 2,725 (PRDoH Surveillance Program 2024 PLWH/A Living by Health Region), of whom 99 are currently in HIV care in CSILO’s RW Part C Program. Among the Health Regions of the PRDOH, the Bayamon Region has the highest incidence and prevalence of HIV, followed by the Caguas Region and then the Metro Area. CSILO’s service area falls within the Metro and Fajardo Health Regions, the latter having a lower representation of incidence and prevalence when compared to other Municipalities within the region. There were 386 newly diagnosed cases in Puerto Rico in 2023, and 2 newly diagnosed cases in CSILO from 2022 to 2024, with 9 additional new cases already diagnosed entering the program. The 2023 US Census data indicates a total population in the service area of 145,821, showing a decreasing trend over the past decade, 99% Hispanic of mixed race, of whom over 42% are low income. The primary mode of transmission of Puerto Rico is (as of 2024 data) is MSM (40%), followed by unprotected heterosexual relations (29%), and IDU (23%, while the cases served at CSILO reports 81.6% heterosexual transmission, 11.5% IDU, and 8.7% MSM. The area has high rates of drug use, including IDU, drug related traffic and violence, and homeless sub-populations, creating risks for HIV infection. The CSILO RWC patient population reflects demographic and socio-economic characteristics of its service area. Most HIV infected persons served are male (58.6%), and 41.4% is female, and CSILO HIV patient population reflects higher number of heterosexuals and less MSM than the PLWH in its service area. RWC patients also show an aging trend, over 80.8% over 50 years of age. The overwhelming majority of the PLWH served by CSILO is Hispanic (100%), all of Puerto Rican origin except one who is Cuban. In terms of race, 85.9% are Black/Afro American, and 14.1% are White, with 1 patient indicating mixed race. Patients are poor, with 96.3% having incomes under 100% of FPL and 94.4% insured under the Medicaid through the Vital government health Plan (GHP). Only 5.6% are covered by Medicare, and none is uninsured. CSILO will utilize RWHAP Part C funds to continue to support the HIV care continuum of targeted Early Intervention Services (EIS), including outreach, HIV 4th generation and confirmatory testing with post counseling; linking and engagement in care; medical care with laboratory and radiology services, antiretroviral treatment, medical case management; nutritional evaluation and counseling; purchase of eyeglasses; dental prosthesis; and specialized health care by a HIV Treater. Onsite in CSILO clinics, through internal referrals, non-medical case management, psychological, psychiatric and substance abuse evaluation and treatment (including buprenorphine for opioid addiction), oral health, and other support services are financed with HRSA SAC and other funds, and from other public and private providers, methadone treatment for opioid addiction and alcoholism and other SA treatment, housing, mainstream services such as nutritional and economic assistance, legal, and other are coordinated through referral. CSILO is requesting $171,819.00 for FY 2025 under this application for a 3-year period. For this RW Competing Continuation, CSILO is not requesting funding preference.
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).