Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5/13/2025
Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program - Project Title: Enhancing Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Early Intervention Services in Hartford HRSA Grant #H76HA08064 Community Health Services, Inc. (CHS), a non-profit 501c(3) federally qualified healthcare center (FQHC), has been providing comprehensive primary healthcare services to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) for over 20 years. Comprehensive outpatient health care services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Hartford, Connecticut, are crucial. Unfortunately, the City of Hartford is ranked as the poorest place in Connecticut due to low pay, a lack of jobs, high crime, and being considered a food desert. The city, with a population of 119,669, has the lowest median household income in Connecticut, at $41,841, compared to the statewide median of $90,213. Additionally, it has the highest poverty rate at 27%, which is considerably higher than the 11% for Hartford County and 10% for the state. Women account for 33% of persons with HIV, and men for 67%. There is a disproportionate impact of HIV on Black/African American and Hispanic populations in the TGA. In 2019, a Black/African American person was seven times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than a White person, and a Hispanic was five times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than a White person. Both Black/African Americans and Hispanics are six times more likely to be living with HIV than White persons. The population at highest risk for HIV in the TGA is Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM). In 2021, 50% of persons diagnosed with HIV were MSM, and 31% were People Living With HIV (PLWH). In 2025, Part C will support HIV primary medical care for individuals with HIV at Community Health Services. Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) funds are utilized to provide support for Outpatient/Ambulatory Medical Care, Oral Health Care, Medical Case Management, and Housing Services for Black/African Americans, Hispanics, and Women who are disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2021, men constituted 65% of PLWH in Hartford and women 36%, among whom 51% are Hispanic/Latino, 37% Black/African American, 23% MSM, and 36% Persons Who Inject Drugs (PWID). Ending the HIV epidemic, however, has proven challenging not only in Hartford County in the United States, with only 59.8% of those aware of their HIV diagnosis achieving viral suppression, and even lower rates among African-Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, transgender women, persons aged 13–24 years, persons who inject drugs (PWID). In 2025, Part C is committed to aligning with the Department of Health and Human Services' Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) initiative, HIV/AIDS/HCV treatment guidelines, and the TGA's standard of care as well as the National HIV/AIDS strategies. The Ryan White Program under CHS aims to achieve several objectives, including reducing new infections, HIV positivity, and late HIV diagnosis, minimizing HCV-related disparities and health inequities, and increasing the rate of viral suppression to contribute to Connecticut's Getting to Zero campaign. This program provides a continuum of care for individuals with HIV, offering an array of services such as HIV prevention education, counseling, and testing, medical case management, access to HIV medications, oral health services, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, transitional and supportive housing, food programs, medical transportation, and wellness centers. These services are designed to support individuals with HIV, help stabilize their lives, keep them in care, and promote their overall health.
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).