Monday, October 2, 2023
10/2/2023
Individuals attending opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and syringe support programs (SSPs) have many complex substance-related medical concerns (e.g., skin and bacterial infections, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, etc.). People who inject drugs (PWIDs) also make up almost all of the new cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and substantial numbers of cases of HIV in the U.S. This grant proposal submitted by the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) for a Collaborative HIV/HCV Opioid care (CHHOC) initiative will address barriers to medical services and related care for PWIDs at risk for HIV and HCV by developing an integrated system of care between participating OTPs and primary care providers. SSPs providing harm reduction interventions and HIV/HCV screening of PWIDs will make referrals to the OTPs and primary care providers. In the CHHOC, the services of the providers will be integrated on two different levels, thus allowing comparison of their effectiveness. One level is a collaboration between an OTP and a federally qualified healthcare clinic (FQHC), while the other is a single provider that has a co-located OTP and primary care clinic. The grant would allow the OTPs to hire nurse care managers and peer navigators. The FQHC/primary care clinic will be funded to hire peer navigators and behavioral health clinician staff support patient self-direction and adherence to treatment. These health clinics will conduct mental health screenings and treatment will be provided or facilitated by the behavioral health clinician. The OTPS will conduct medical and mental health screenings and coordinate referrals to care. Both the FQHC/primary care clinic and the OTPs will provide smoking cessation treatment. The CHHOC will employ a chronic disease model that will ensure that clients are monitored and supported, especially while receiving antiretroviral therapy and/or direct- acting antiviral treatment for HCV. Primary care providers in the initiative are enrolled in 340B programs to allow more affordable access to high-cost antiviral medications for the individuals served. In addition, NJ will provide state funding to support medications for the uninsured. A part-time infectious disease specialist consultant and use of telehealth case conferencing will further enhance care coordination of HIV/HCV seropositive clients. An addiction expert will train the partnering programs to implement smoking cessation treatment services. As PWIDs will be educated about risk reduction strategies while receiving antiviral therapy that is coordinated with treatment for their substance use disorder, the goal is to eliminate HCV and slow the progression of HIV in those treated, thus helping to prevent the transmission of these diseases and decrease deaths in PWIDs. The number of individuals who will receive coordinated care through the CHHOC is estimated at 1,786 per year.
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).
