Saturday, April 19, 2025
4/19/2025
Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI) - The timing for the project, “Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI) could not be more perfect. The COVID-19 emergency phase has now officially ended, yet residual consequences remain. People delayed routine and non-urgent care while hospitals and public health professionals responded. Epidemiological data for sexually transmitted infections highlight the delay, as all numbers dropped in 2019, yet rebounded higher and higher in 2020 and 2021. Even more consequential are the psychological effects of living through COVID-19 which we still have not yet fully recognized but will play out in future relationships, mental health, and well-being. Existing health disparities, particularly in marginalized communities, will worsen under this new strain. On top of COVID came Mpox hitting the LGBTQIA+ community which already has the haunting history of the AIDS Epidemic of the 1980’s. Political agendas in the United States are shifting to more restrictive laws, particularly for transgender health and rights. Thus, the challenges are tremendous, but here is where the outcomes for the ESSHCI project will make an impact: addressing the STI epidemics in key marginalized communities by increasing capacity to high-quality, comprehensive sexual health services, improving clinic experience, and increasing identification and treatment of STI’s in Dallas County, Texas. Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX) has been at the forefront of community health and health equity since the beginning of the pandemic caused by HIV/AIDS in 1986. During the particularly dark periods of COVID and Mpox, PHNTX has been in the fight, at the community level, helping our patients with vital access to healthcare for HIV treatment, prevention, and STI treatment. When the local health department had to close its STI clinic during COVID, PHNTX became the health center able to stay open and continue seeing walk-in’s. When the outbreak of Mpox happened in the summer of 2022, PHNTX opened on a moment’s notice a testing, treatment, and vaccination clinic that saw over 500 patients the first week. Thus, the ESSHCI project will build the already strong collaboration between the local health department, Dallas County Health and Human Services, in order to reach, engage, and provide the best healthcare for people needing STI treatment. PHNTX seeks funding for Strategies A, B, and C. The project is well designed to meet desired outcomes and goals, and the proposed activities are both achievable and productive. Further, the project’s plan and outcomes are unique with no duplication of effort among the different existing funding. A strong evaluation and performance plan is both realistic and highly measurable in order to quantify tangible outcomes. Finally, with PHNTX more than 37 years’ of experience managing federal awards remains a capable and ready partner to address the ongoing STI epidemics in Dallas County, Texas.
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).