Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program - The HOPE Center, part of North Central Health District (NCHD), is a comprehensive Ryan White clinic that serves 13 counties in middle Georgia: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington, and Wilkinson. The HOPE Center has provided medical care/support services to people living with HIV (PLWH) since 1989 as a Ryan White Part B recipient and since 2000 as a Part C recipient. NCHD is characterized by high levels of poverty, limited public transportation, and low levels of educational attainment. Many counties in NCHD are medically underserved with shortages of primary healthcare providers (8 of 13 counties have fewer than 10 primary care physicians), lack of subspecialty care (6 of 13 counties have no subspecialty providers), and inpatient care (5 of 13 counties have no inpatient facility). As of Nov. 2024, The HOPE Center has 1404 active patients, 69% identify as Male, 29% Female and 2% Transgender. The race/ethnicity of patients is 83% Black, 16% White and 1% Asian/Indian/other; 3% identify as Latino/Hispanic. Mode of transmission is 49% Heterosexual, 46% MSM, and 2.5% IDU. From Jan.-May 2024, The HOPE Center enrolled 116 new clients. New clients’ demographics parallel the existing patient population; however, 26% of new clients were under the age of 29. The HOPE Center’s target population is anyone diagnosed with HIV, with particular focus on sub-populations that are disproportionately impacted: black MSM, black women, and individuals ages 13 to 30. The HOPE Center is not requesting Part C funds for counseling, testing and referral (CTR). NCHD county health departments routinely offer CTR to patients receiving services like Family Planning, Prenatal, STI or TB care and to any client with high-risk factors. CTR services are offered by partners at substance abuse programs, correctional facilities, college campuses, and community wide events. NCHD uses State/CDC funding for a Linkage to Care Coordinator. The Coordinator engages newly diagnosed individuals by meeting them in the community, informing them of their status and linking them directly to care. The HOPE Center prioritizes their intake appointments and works to get them seen quickly. New clients are seen no less than 4 times per year. Once clients are linked to care, they receive comprehensive medical and psychosocial care services. Black MSM, black women, and transgender clients receive targeted attention with regards to retention in care. The current expanded core medical services/support services include outpatient ambulatory services, mental health care services, dedicated Primary Care/Infectious Disease Physicians and Nurse Practitioner, medical case management including a Licensed Professional Counsellor, non-medical case management, peer advocate support, medical transportation, food pantry, health insurance premium and cost sharing assistance. The HOPE Center is the only HIV provider in the geographic area with a sliding scale fee that accepts patients regardless of the ability to pay. The Part C EIS funds support the HIV care continuum by allowing The HOPE Center to employ a multidisciplinary workforce that facilitates these programs to eliminate or reduce barriers to care. Part C funds also allow our clients to access external referral sources for those services which are unable to be provided internally. New initiatives planned for 2025-2028 are 1) to provide satellite care to clients by working with local health departments to facilitate clinic days at their sites; 2) to hire a dentist and dental staff in early 2025 and open the dental clinic to clients; 3) to work with local county jails/correctional facilities to ensure that clients who are jailed receive adequate care and treatment while incarcerated and 4) new QI project addressing retention in care.
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).