Friday, May 16, 2025
5/16/2025
RYAN WHITE TITLE III: EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES - GENERAL OVERVIEW OF HIV EPIDEMIOLOGY IN DESIGNATED SERVICE AREA Since 1992, in collaboration with HIV service organizations and agencies throughout Chicago, The UI Health Community Clinic Network (UCCN) has been providing accessible, comprehensive HIV primary care services for the underserved. This has grown over the years to five comprehensive, or “one-stop shopping” sites in the City of Chicago. All of these sites are located in areas that have/had AIDS case rates of 50-100 per 100,000; all provide medical case management and primary care services (by UCCN) funded by Ryan White Parts A, B and C. The targeted population in this proposal includes persons who reside in some of the city of Chicago’s most economically challenged community areas; these areas include but are not limited to Hermosa, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, West Town, Woodlawn, Chatham, Roseland, South Chicago, South Shore, Burnside, Calumet Heights, and Greater Grand Crossing. These community areas are predominantly Hispanic and Black communities who continue to experience a disproportionate impact of HIV as well as lack of access to medical care, health disparities and decreased life expectancy compared to other Chicagoans. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF KEY SERVICES TO BE SUPPORTED BY THIS REQUEST, THE AMOUNT REQUESTED, AND THE TARGET POPULATIONS (INCLUDING SUB-POPULATIONS) TO BE SERVED. Over the past 3 years, UCCN has provided Part C funded care services for: 89 patients (2021), 87 patients (2022), and 81 patients (2023). All of these patients were previously un-served or underserved, disenfranchised, and marginalized by poverty, race/ethnicity, culture, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, lack of stable housing, mental health conditions and/or substance use, most often with multiple intersecting factors. Many of these populations remain disproportionately impacted by HIV in Chicago. As corroborated by the letters of support appended to this proposal, UCCN has a proven track record for providing HIV primary care services that are seen as uniquely accessible by these underserved and vulnerable populations. As part of UI Health, a tertiary academic medical center with extensive specialty inpatient and outpatient services, UCCN provides a critical access point for specialty care services and diagnostic services when needed to address health disparities in the communities we serve. UCCN services are provided directly at community-based organizations, which have established strong and trusting relationships with the target populations. Consistently, UCCN primary care providers and support staff at these sites have been able to build on this trust which is particularly important as medical mistrust is a continued barrier to access and engagement in medical care in many communities we serve due to historical medical/research injustices, structural racism, stigmatization, discrimination and previous negative experiences with healthcare. Continued funding in the amount of $357,287 is being sought through this application to provide HIV primary medical care, early intervention services and mental health services. It is understood if we are successful in our bid, we will be eligible for three years of potential funding based on yearly appropriations to Part C HIV Early Intervention Service Programs and our individual program performance. As such, the budget contained in this document shows level funding for each year of the three-year service period.
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).