Prevention, Access, Treatment and Healing (PATH) - The PATH Program (Prevention, Access, Treatment, and Healing), proposed by JPS Health Network is a comprehensive, low-barrier program aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) among medically underserved and high-risk populations in Tarrant County, Texas. Designed to address the complex needs of individuals facing homelessness, substance use disorders (SUD), serious mental illness (SMI), and infectious diseases, PATH will serve a total of 533 unduplicated patients over a three-year grant period using a Hub-and-Spoke model of care delivery. Care teams will be embedded at three primary hubs - the JPS Emergency Department, Urgent Care Center, and the True Worth Clinic, which serves individuals experiencing homelessness. These sites will serve as entry points for same-day HCV screening, diagnosis, and treatment initiation, with integrated, low-barrier services for HIV, SUD, and SMI. The program will be supported by a multidisciplinary team comprising a Project Director, Project Coordinator, Nurse Case Manager, two Advanced Practice Providers, a Psychologist, two Licensed Clinical Social Workers, two Pharmacy Technicians, a Phlebotomist, an Evaluator, five Patient Navigators, and a Lead Patient Navigator. These staff members will operate across the continuum of care, linking patients to spokes that include JPS community health centers, recovery housing, and the JPS Street Medicine team. This model ensures that patients not only receive timely HCV treatment but also remain connected to essential follow-up and supportive services across medical and behavioral health domains. By embedding HCV care within existing access points and integrating it with services for co-occurring conditions, PATH is positioned to improve system-wide care efficiency, reduce unnecessary emergency and inpatient utilization, and prevent progression to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. These efforts will ultimately reduce healthcare costs associated with late-stage liver disease while improving health outcomes for individuals who often face the highest barriers to care. PATH's approach builds sustainability by strengthening internal infrastructure, reducing fragmentation in service delivery, and supporting long-term engagement in care. The overarching goals of PATH are to expand access to HCV prevention, testing, and treatment; improve medication adherence and care retention through peer support and intensive care coordination; reduce reinfection risk through prevention education, and outreach; and develop a replicable, data-driven model for future implementation. The program will fulfill all SAMHSA-required activities and implement components of all four allowable activities. JPS will also leverage complementary grant-funded programs - such as SBIRT, ED-ALT, REACH, and Ryan White services - to build a comprehensive and integrated continuum of care. Emphasizing trauma-informed, person-centered care and supported by continuous quality improvement and rigorous evaluation, PATH will close critical gaps in the HCV care continuum and advance health equity for Tarrant County's most vulnerable populations.
