Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program - Applicant Name & Address: ARcare 117 South 2nd Street, Augusta, AR 72006 Applicant Phone # & Website: 870-347-2534 www.arcare.net Project Director Contact Information: Dr. Steven Collier, CEO 870-347-3304 steven.collier@arcare.net Amount Requested: $425,940 ARcare is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system located in mostly rural Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi, in counties that have been designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration as Medically Underserved Areas or Health Professional Shortage Areas. In Arkansas, service sites have expanded from 3 medical clinics in 1986 to current operations of 71 medical clinics that house 12 HIV-specific medical care centers, 4 school-based health centers, and 3 Longevity Centers. ARcare also operates 17 HIV case management offices (Service Access Centers), 2 fitness/wellness centers, 8 pharmacies, and 2 childhood early learning centers. ARcare is the largest community health center system in Arkansas by both geography and numbers served. There is a great burden of providing medical and support services for those with HIV in Arkansas area due to lack of physicians trained and/or willing to provide care to HIV patients. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) estimates that there are 6,740 people with HIV living in Arkansas, with 62% (4,193) engaged in care, while 38% (2,547) are not in care. Without the comprehensive medical and HIV care provided by ARcare, many of these individuals who are in care would not have ready access to any medical care or HIV services. There are still many others in our current service area who have not searched out or had access to any HIV medical care. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, the number of individuals diagnosed with HIV living in the proposed service area is 3,036, of which 1,154 (38%) are not in care. ARcare seeks to decrease the number of individuals in the service area who are not engaged in HIV care and services. Services to be provided include HIV medical care, primary medical care, oral health care, specialty care, laboratory services, radiology, medical and non-medical case management, adherence education, nutritional services, medical transportation, pharmaceuticals assistance, and outreach to bring positives into care. The target population resides in mostly rural area of Arkansas, and includes all individuals who are infected with HIV, with a focus through our Part D grant on all HIV positive women, infants, children, and youth. Our program also provides outreach services to communities of color, as these groups are increasing in number, and there is a known higher rate of HIV disease among communities of color. While minorities make up only 28% of the general population in Arkansas, minorities account for 51.4% of the patients served by the HIV Positive Connections Program. ARcare is requesting funding preference under Qualifications 1, 2, & 3 due to the rural area served, long distances to travel for HIV services, and to the areas’ lack of early intervention services and primary health providers who will care for HIV patients.
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).