Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Project Title: FY 2023 RWHAP Part C Capacity Development Program Applicant Organization Name: Fulton County Department for HIV Elimination Address: 137 Peachtree Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303-3621 Project Director Name: Jeff Cheek, Director Contact Numbers: 404-612-0789 E-Mail Address: Jeff.Cheek@fultoncountyga.gov Web Site Address: www.ryanwhiteatl.org Program funds Requested: $145,776.00 Funding Preference Requested: Rural Populations I. PROJECT ABSTRACT With this Application, the Fulton County Department for HIV Elimination, recipient for the Ryan White Part A (RWPA) Atlanta Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA) (Applicant) (UEI Number J3Y1XYZYUFQ5) is requesting funding for an Infrastructure Development Activity, the implementation of Telemedicine Technology and related technology tools, and their integration with the Applicant’s Management Information System (MIS), to strengthen its organizational capacity to respond to the changing health care landscape, and to enhance and increase access to high quality HIV primary health care services for rural populations living with HIV living within the Atlanta EMA. The proposed Project is designed to address a number of technology gaps in the Applicant’s current methods of client outreach, client engagement and retaining clients in care, and to address barriers to outreach and care created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has adversely affected the ability of PLWH in the EMA to be linked to care, engaged in care, and retained in care. The Project has two goals, which correspond to the two project components: Customization and Implementation of the e2MyCare App, a user-friendly telemedicine system accessible from smart phones and other mobile devices, which will provide clients with secure, remote access to features specifically designed to support outreach, engagement, and retention in care for PLWH, including secure messaging, video chat, medication and appoint ment reminders, adherence tracking and self-reporting, goal setting, a recertification portal, and a geo-coded service locator and resource guide. Customization and Implementation of the e2Linkage to Care Module and Report, a set of electronic tools for HIV client outreach, engagement, and linkage to care, which include a public-facing website for client education, outreach, and linkage to services. The proposed Project will address needs identified in the Georgia Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan, 2022-2026, including the need to provide reminders for appointments, taking medication, medication refills, and recertifications, and using web-based platforms for streamlined, culturally reflective client communications. The proposed Telehealth tools are expected to be of particular benefit to emerging populations identified by the Applicant, Black Men who have Sex with Men, Black Women, and Transgender Individuals. In addition, these Telehealth tools will enable the Department and its subrecipients to link, engage and retain clients in care during the COVID-19 pandemic, by supporting client outreach, client intake, eligibility certification and recertification, and the provision of case management services and other RWPA services, without the need for in-person interaction.
