Saturday, January 28, 2023
1/28/2023
Project Title: FY 22 Ending the HIV Epidemic – Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) Applicant Name: Benevolence Industries, Inc. Applicant Address: 3533 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019-4534 Project Director: KwabCA-037ena Obeng, Chief Executive Officer Contact Info: (310) 800-7963 (phone); (323) 692-1009 (fax) Email: cenmedclinic@yahoo.com Website: www.bhchealth.org Funding Request: $325,000 Year 1; $325,000 Year 2 Health Center Program Number: H80CS26616 Description of how the project will increase the number of patients counseled and tested for HIV; the number of patients prescribed PrEP, and the number of patients linked to HIV care and treatment within 30 days of diagnosis: Benevolence Industries, Inc. (BII) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a 16 years history serving communities in Los Angeles, California. BII has eight (8) service delivery sites, and is committed to providing full-service HIV care, including outreach, testing, PrEP prescribing, counseling, and treatment—either directly or via referral to a long-time HIV care provider. The proposed project strengthens BII’s ability to deliver accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive linkages to care, thereby increasing patient access to resources and expertise. BII’s population of focus are at-risk youth and adults who have yet to be tested/screened for HIV, individuals who are HIV negative and participate in at-risk behaviors, and individuals who are HIV positive. Our population of focus often have co-morbidities, engage in risky behavior (sexual activity, IV drug use), are people of color, experiencing homelessness, and/or have incomes below the 200% FPG. In addition, many experience barriers to care including low health literacy and limited English proficiency. BII’s proposed project will meet the triple aim to increase the number of patients: 1) counseled and tested for HIV; 2) prescribed PrEP; and 3) linked to HIV care and treatment. Through collaboration, improved a ccess, adherence to PrEP, and enhanced workflows to support universal testing and rapid HIV testing, BII will improve data collection and facilitate the consistent and ongoing use of clinical guidelines on HIV prevention, testing, and linkages to HIV treatment and other supportive services. Description of how the proposed project will focus on the targeted geographic locations: The proposed project will target our current patient population and at-risk populations at our Crenshaw site in Los Angeles County, a priority geographic location as part of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. An increase in staff, enhanced workflows, access to HIV tests and other related supplies, and ongoing training and education opportunities will be used to target existing and new patients. According to the 2019 CDC HIV Surveillance Report, there were 1,482 adults and adolescents diagnosed with HIV infection in Los Angeles County. Of the 49,678 adults and adolescents living with diagnosed HIV infection, the rates were highest among Black/African American (1,360.6 per 100,000), followed Multiracial (1,529.4 per 100,000), Hispanic/Latino (584.9 per 100,000), and White (550.2 per 100,000). According to AIDSVu.org, 1,690 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2018. Rates of new HIV diagnosis were higher in men than women. Furthermore, approximately 1,286 (76.1%) were linked to HIV care, and of the 752 PrEP users in Los Angeles in 2019, more than one-third (37.9%) are between the ages of 25 and 34.
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).
